Presentation Information

Lactation Education as Advocacy: Increasing Knowledge Among Physicians

• Speaker: Tomoko Seo , MD, IBCLC, FABM
• Presentation Type:
• Duration: 60 Mins
• Credits: 1 CERP, 1 Nursing CEU, 1 CME, 0.1 Midwifery CEU, 1 Dietetic CEU

Abstract:

Breastfeeding facilitates good health in infants and mothers, and for all humans throughout life. Medical professionals should be advocates for breastfeeding, and physicians could be one of the most influential advocates. However, many medical students, residents and physicians have very limited opportunities to learn about breastfeeding and human lactation during their medical education. From another point of view, breastfeeding is a private experience as well as a scientific matter. If a physician or a partner successfully breastfeeds, she/he may become a more effective advocate for breastfeeding. So, it is imperative to provide medical students, residents, and young physicians with education about breastfeeding and to enable them to experience successful breastfeeding personally, in order for them to promote and support breastfeeding among their patients.

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine is an international organization of physicians who protect, promote, and support breastfeeding, and one of its goals is to develop and disseminate the standard for physician education around breastfeeding and human lactation. ABM has developed protocols and statements for health care providers to utilize for breastfeeding management.

The WHO/UNICEF revised Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding in 2018, includes in Step2 “Ensure that staff have sufficient knowledge, competence and skills to support breastfeeding”. This included physician education. There are many ways to educate physicians, and ABM materials could be one option.