Systems-Based Practice & Interprofessional Collaboration: Goal A

Learners will be able to coordinate services with other professionals, laypersons, and community groups, consistent with an interprofessional and team-based approach to care.

Learner Objectives

Identify and coordinate care with local community support groups or resources to support breastfeeding families
Describe the roles of lactation support specialists and other members of the health care team in caring for breastfeeding mothers and infants
Facilitate coordination of care follow-up visits for breastfeeding mothers and infants
Identify the most common reasons to refer breastfeeding mothers and infants for expert assistance when needed

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Essential Activities

Objective 1 Community Groups:
- Have learners create a list of community and professional groups that promote and support breastfeeding. Make sure learners include support for different racial and ethnic groups such as Mocha Moms, National Association for Professional and Peer Lactation Supporters of Color (NAPPLSC), National Medical Association (NMA) Breastfeeding Alliance, Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association, and Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE)
- Facilitate opportunities for learners to attend an observational, in-person or virtual experience such as a baby cafe, mom’s breastfeeding group, lactation support group, WIC office, or similar resources. For more information, read the publication Bunik M, Gao D, Moore L. An investigation of the field trip model as a method for teaching breastfeeding to pediatric residents. J Hum Lact. 2006 May;22(2):195-202. doi: 10.1177/0890334406286993. PMID: 16684908.
Objective 2, 3, & 4 Members of the Healthcare Team & Coordinating Care:
- Have learners complete this free, self-directed, three-hour course. This is an external course from Inspire Health and the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
- Use this patient handout Action Plan, to list the names and numbers of health team members. Develop it to your own practice setting.
- Have learners review the table on different provider roles in breastfeeding.
- Compare the roles of Certified Lactation Counselors (CLC), International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and other certifications in assisting physicians to provide breastfeeding care to families by reviewing this helpful chart [maybe just hyperlink chart?] The Physician's Role in Human Milk Feeding.
- Utilize these clinical case studies to discuss an interprofessional, systems-based model of care approach.

Additional Activities (Optional)

Objective #1 Community Groups: Have learners attend the lactation education/prenatal classes at your hospital.
Objective #2, #3, & #4 Members of the Healthcare Team & Coordinating Care:
- Create an “Essential Breastfeeding Skills Workshop'' with breastfeeding moms, pumping moms, breastfeeding puppets, and breastfeeding/pumping equipment to allow learners to get in-person and hands-on experience. For more information, see Schoch DE, Lawhon G, Wicker LA, Yecco G. An interdisciplinary multi-departmental educational program toward baby friendly hospital designation. Adv Neonatal Care. 2014 Feb;14(1):38-43. doi: 10.1097/ANC.0000000000000029. PMID: 24472887, WHO Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative training course for maternity staff, or WHO Competency verification toolkit: Ensuring competency of direct care providers to implement the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative
- Have learners accompany a public health nurse or home care nurse on a breastfeeding infant in-person or telehealth visit.
- Have learners read the Business Case for Breastfeeding and have them conduct and present a cost/benefit analysis of breastfeeding within a defined population.

Continue to Goal B

See More Curriculum

Medical Knowledge

Your learners will understand the anatomy of the breast, the physiology of lactogenesis and the challenges of breastfeeding.

Patient Care

Learners will be able to educate families about breastfeeding, provide peripartum breastfeeding support for routine care and common problems, recognize and be able to address breastfeeding challenges and special situations after discharge and throughout infancy and understand the unique needs of LGBTQ+ families as it relates to infant feeding.

Practice Based Learning

Learners will educate themselves and others about breastfeeding.

Interpersonal Communication Skills

Learners will communicate effectively with patients, families and other medical providers regarding breastfeeding as well as understand the concept of cultural humility and how to provide culturally effective breastfeeding care.