Peer Reviewed Literature for Perinatal Private Practice

Stop being intimidated by the latest research in human lactation.

Does the phrase “what’s the evidence for that” scare you? 

Always feel like you’re lagging behind in your clinical knowledge about human lactation?

Tired of feeling like other clinicians don’t respect your nutrition recommendations or lactation guidance? 

It’s time to take the literature into your own hands.

In Peer Reviewed Literature for Perinatal Care Providers: Creating Evidence-Based Protocols, you’ll not only gain a deeper clinical understandings of nutrition during lactation and the use of human donor milk, you’ll also get the skills you need to review and evaluate research for yourself.

This course features 6 rich modules + 1 independent study portion where you won’t just get theories and concepts about research.

These aren’t passive modules to listen to while you’re checking your email or playing on social media.

You’ll be getting your hands dirty by taking these studies apart the same way researchers, doctors, and advanced clinicians do–with actual individual feedback from instructor Hope Lima, PhD, RDN, IBCLC.

When you know how to go to the source, you’ll feel confident that your practice is evidence based with the “why” and the “how” to back up your recommendations to your clients and to the other healthcare providers on the perinatal team.

Taught by Hope Lima, PhD, RDN, IBCLC. 5 recorded sessions + implementation homework with feedback from Dr. Lima.

Objectives

• Participants will be able to analyze peer-reviewed literature to determine if appropriate study design and statistical analyses are utilized.
• Participants will be able to evaluate conclusions of peer-reviewed articles for appropriateness and accuracy with regards to study design and statistical analysis.
• Participants will be able to compare and contrast studies to determine whether outcomes are meaningful for clinical application.

IBLCE Content Outline

• I A6 Milk banking – formal and informal
• V 3 Foods to eat/avoid that affect lactation
• VII D1 Apply research in practice
• VII D2 Appraise and interpret research results

Bonus! Implementation work with instructor feedback + private podcast feed for auditory learners

6 modules + self study:

Module 1: Interpreting methods and results of peer-reviewed literature
As lactation is a relatively new field of scientific research, we are just beginning to scratch the surface of our knowledge. Therefore, emerging topics can challenge the way that we practice in a significant manner. In order for IBCLCs to feel confident in interpreting scientific research, we need to feel confident in reading scientific, peer-reviewed literature. In this one-hour session, we are going to explore the basics of a strong study design, an overview of options for statistical analysis, an introduction to interpreting charts and graphics, and discuss the difference between statistical and clinical significance.

Module 2: Maintaining ethics: how to know if or when to apply peer-reviewed findings to practice
Peer-reviewed literature can be overwhelming, and interpreting results can be challenging. This can make skipping to the conclusions section without reading the results and drawing individual conclusions a tempting option. In order to feel confident in determining if evidence should be applied in clinical practice, it is important to determine, for yourself, if a study is drawing the appropriate conclusions and IF they mean anything for the way we practice clinically. In this one-hour session, we are going to develop skills for drawing conclusions from author-reported data, discuss approaches for blending clinical knowledge with new evidence, and explore how to know when evidence is strong enough to mean changes for clinical practice.

Module 3: Applying critical analysis skills: evidence-based feeding of donor human milk feeding
There are many scenarios where a parent cannot provide enough milk volume or the milk does not provide adequate energy to support the growth and development of their infant. In scenarios where this occurs, human milk provided from another lactating individual (donor human milk) can be used to feed the infant until the parent is able to increase their milk supply. This presentation will utilize the analysis techniques learned in lessons 1 & 2 to explore 3 peer-reviewed articles related to donor human milk feeding.

Module 4: Applying critical analysis skills: lactation support for parents with anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a clinical condition characterized by restriction of energy intake, fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, and body dysmorphia. As pregnancy and subsequent lactation are associated with changes in weight and body shape, it is important to consider the implications of a pre-existing or current diagnosis of AN during the postpartum period. The research examining the impact of body changes during pregnancy on individuals with a history of AN has mixed results; some show AN symptoms regress during pregnancy, while other results show a resurgence of AN symptoms. While there is limited evidence of the impact of AN on milk production, milk composition, and breastfeeding experiences of the parent, the evidence that we do have can help guide lactation consultants when providing care for the dyad during the fourth trimester. This presentation will utilize the analysis techniques learned in lessons 1 & 2 to explore 3 peer-reviewed articles related to lactation challenges in parents with anorexia nervosa.

Module 5: Applying critical analysis skills: nutrition during lactation
While certain nutrients in human milk are stable, other nutrients are highly dependent on maternal intake and internal stores. Understanding which nutrients are impacted can help lactation consultants provide broad nutrition education to support women during lactation. This presentation will utilize the analysis techniques learned in lessons 1 & 2 to explore 3 peer-reviewed articles related to nutrition during lactation.

Module 6: Practicing Critical Analysis Skills
During this session, participants will be given 3 peer-reviewed studies to examine and we will be discussing the implications of the studies live. One of these studies is a study published by the presenter, so the goal is to give the participants a little insight into the thought process. All questions will also be answered regarding any of the topics that were covered through the program.

Module 7: Implementation & Instructor Feedback
Working in a group or on your own, you’ll choose a topic from the topic list below.

• Oral restrictions
• Herbal supplementation to support milk supply
• Hand expression in the hospital
• Pump initiation in the hospital

You’ll find 1 peer-reviewed article published in the last 5 years, read the article, then use the tools provided in the course to assess the article using the worksheet provided by Dr. Lima.