Presentation Information

Brief Breastfeeding Encounters: Effective Counseling Techniques When Time is Limited

• Speaker: Cynthia Good , MS, LMHCA, IBCLC, CATSM
• Presentation Type:
• Duration: 60 Mins
• Credits: 1 CERP, 1 Nursing CEU, 1 CME, 0.1 Midwifery CEU, 1 Dietetic CEU

Abstract:

The limited time in which many lactation specialists work with breastfeeding families means that only a portion of the support and information that is needed can be provided. Therefore, a critical goal of brief breastfeeding encounters must be the initiation and nurturing of a process of learning and change that the family can sustain on their own after the encounter is over. This goal is also central to solution-focused brief therapy. This presentation offers an introduction to key concepts and techniques from solution-focused brief therapy and describes how they can be applied—in a non-psychotherapeutic manner—to the provision of breastfeeding support and lactation consulting. It includes practical tools that any lactation specialist can routinely use to work more effectively with breastfeeding families when time is limited, such as helping clients set goals that can be measured, looking for exceptions to the problem, and keeping track of progress through the use of scaling.