Program Overview

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AHS 20-Hour Breastfeeding Course

Course Overview

The AHS 20-Hour Breastfeeding Course is Alberta's go-to online course for healthcare professionals. This free CME-accredited course provides flexible, accredited learning to enhance breastfeeding knowledge and support skills. The self-paced online modules have been developed for all healthcare providers working with expectant and breastfeeding families across the continuum of care.

Registration

The course is available for free self-registration. Participants must create an ECME e-Learning Profile or log in to an existing profile. Once logged in, they can find the course in the 'e-Learning Courses' listing and submit their registration.

Acknowledgement

This course was co-developed with the AHS Early Years Health Promotion team and was planned to achieve scientific integrity, objectivity, and balance.

Who Should Attend

The course is designed for physicians and other healthcare professionals across the maternal-child continuum of care in Alberta, including:

• Family physicians
• Pediatricians
• Obstetricians
• Nurses
• Midwives
• Dietitians
• Perinatal educators
• Lactation consultants

Modules

The course consists of the following modules:

Positive Breastfeeding Support

1. Learning Objectives

• Recognize the importance and impact of positive breastfeeding support
• Reflect on breastfeeding parent perspectives of breastfeeding support
• Reflect on approaches to practice that are critical to promoting a positive breastfeeding experience
• Apply the LEARN model to promote a positive breastfeeding experience

2. Credits

• Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 1.5 credits
• MOC Section 3 SAP - 1.5 hours

Informed Feeding Decisions

1. Learning Objectives

• Define an IFD approach
• Identify when an IFD approach can be used
• Identify and define the principles of an IFD
• Recognize how the principles of an IFD can contribute to positive outcomes for families
• Apply principles and actions to support IFDs

2. Credits

• Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 1.5 credits
• MOC Section 3 SAP – 1.5 hours

Including Partners & Supporters

1. Learning Objectives

• Recognize the influence and perspectives of partners and supporters on breastfeeding
• Recognize the different ways partners and supporters can be responsive to the breastfeeding parent’s needs
• Apply strategies that facilitate partner and supporter involvement in breastfeeding
• Apply the LEARN model to facilitate partner and supporter involvement in breastfeeding

2. Credits

• Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 1 credit
• MOC Section 3 SAP – 1 hour

Introduction to Breastmilk and Breastfeeding

1. Learning Objectives

• The anatomy and functions of the lactating breast
• The physiology of lactation and how breastmilk is produced
• The anatomy and functions of infant oral structures
• The components and stages of breastmilk
• What micronutrient supplementation is needed for healthy term infants
• The nutritional needs of the breastfeeding parent
• The strengths and weaknesses of breastfeeding evidence
• The health benefits of breastfeeding for women and infants/children
• Considerations for safe breastfeeding
• Resources that support informed feeding decisions for safe breastfeeding
• When breastfeeding may be contraindicated and appropriate follow-up care

2. Credits

• Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 2 credits
• MOC Section 3 SAP – 2 hours

Breastfeeding Support Skills & Assessment

1. Learning Objectives

• Recognize inborn feeding instincts that support the breastfeeding relationship and cue-based feeding
• Identify approaches to breastfeeding support and indicate why certain approaches are beneficial for the breastfeeding relationship
• Identify the benefits of skin-to-skin care for the breastfeeding family
• Identify why it is useful for the breastfeeding parent to learn hand expression
• Identify how different breastfeeding positions may be helpful for the breastfeeding dyad
• Recognize the principles of an effective and comfortable latch
• Recognize the signs of effective and ineffective milk transfer
• Identify considerations and components of a breastfeeding assessment
• Recognize how room sharing facilitates cue-based feeding
• Identify the impact of breastfeeding on sleep and strategies to improve sleep for the breastfeeding dyad
• Recognize how breastfeeding impacts the risk of sudden infant death syndrome

2. Credits

• Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 2 credits
• MOC Section 3 SAP – 2 hours

Variations & Challenges for the Breastfeeding Parent

1. Learning Objectives

• Recognize why breastfeeding-related pain and discomfort occurs
• Recognize the impact of breastfeeding-related pain on the breastfeeding dyad
• Identify appropriate management strategies and interventions to support parents who experience breastfeeding-related pain and discomfort
• Recognize how breastfeeding may be impacted by nipple variations
• Identify appropriate management strategies and interventions to support parents with nipple variations
• Identify considerations for the use of nipple shields and recommendations for proper fit
• Recognize different breast variations and how breastfeeding might be impacted
• Identify appropriate management strategies and interventions to support parents with breast variations
• Recognize why different milk supply challenges occur and how they impact breastfeeding
• Identify appropriate prevention and management strategies to support parents experiencing milk supply challenges

2. Credits

• Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 3 credits
• MOC Section 3 SAP – 3 hours

3. Learning Objectives (cont.)

• Recognize why hyperlactation and forceful milk ejection reflex occur and how these conditions impact breastfeeding
• Identify appropriate prevention and management strategies to support breastfeeding dyads experiencing hyperlactation and forceful milk ejection reflex
• Recognize the impact of birth complications and interventions on the breastfeeding parent
• Recognize the impact of physical conditions on the breastfeeding parent
• Recognize the impact of mental health concerns on the breastfeeding parent
• Identify appropriate strategies to support breastfeeding parents with various health circumstances
• Recognize why postpartum engorgement occurs and how it impacts breastfeeding
• Identify appropriate prevention and management strategies to support parents experiencing postpartum engorgement
• Describe reverse pressure softening and manual lymphatic drainage techniques
• Recognize why ductal narrowing occurs and how it impacts breastfeeding

4. Learning Objectives (cont.)

• Identify appropriate management strategies to support parents experiencing ductal narrowing
• Identify clinical presentation of inflammatory mastitis, bacterial mastitis, and breast abscess
• Identify appropriate management strategies to support parents experiencing inflammatory mastitis, bacterial mastitis, and breast abscess
• Identify why subacute mastitis occurs and how it can impact breastfeeding
• Identify why the diagnosis of mammary candidiasis is no longer supported
• Identify spectrum-wide strategies to support parents who experience breast tissue inflammation

Variations & Challenges for the Breastfeeding Infant

1. Learning Objectives

• Be aware of AHS resources to support infant growth monitoring
• Recognize suboptimal growth and identify breastfeeding strategies to address it
• Recognize common infant feeding behaviours that may affect breastfeeding success and the different factors that can influence infant behaviour
• Identify appropriate strategies to support parents when infant behaviours affect breastfeeding
• Recognize common health concerns for healthy term infants and how breastfeeding may be impacted
• Identify appropriate breastfeeding strategies to prevent and support management of common health concerns for breastfed infants
• Recognize anatomical variations in infants and how breastfeeding might be impacted
• Identify appropriate management strategies and interventions to support breastfeeding in infants with anatomical variations
• Recognize how birth complications and temporary illness may affect breastfeeding
• Identify appropriate strategies to support breastfeeding dyads experiencing birth complications and temporary illness
• Identify key considerations for breastfeeding multiples

2. Credits

• Mainpro+ Self-Learning – TBD
• MOC Section 3 SAP – TBD

Breastmilk Expression & Supplementary Feeding

1. Learning Objectives

• Identify considerations and varied reasons for breastmilk expression
• Identify appropriate strategies to support parents to achieve optimal breastmilk expression
• Identify and accurately apply the breastfeeding terms and definitions used for data collection in Alberta
• Identify indications for supplementary feeds
• Identify how to assist parents as they navigate understanding the health benefits, contextual factors, safety issues, or health risks for different supplementary feeding options
• Identify considerations to create supportive and achievable feeding plans
• Recognize how to safely prepare and store supplements
• Identify considerations for alternative oral feeding methods
• Identify where to find information for proper cleaning and sanitization of feeding equipment

2. Credits

• Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 2 credits
• MOC Section 3 SAP – 2 hours

Community & System Supports for Breastfeeding (NEW)

1. Learning Objectives

• Identify considerations for supporting breastfeeding parents when they introduce complementary foods
• Identify considerations for responsive feeding when introducing complementary foods
• Be aware of AHS resources to support complementary feeding
• Identify considerations to support breastfeeding parents when they return to work or school
• Identify considerations to support parents who decide to continue breastfeeding during pregnancy
• Identify considerations to support parents who decide to breastfeed multiple children of different ages
• Recognize considerations to support parents who decide to breastfeed beyond what may be culturally expected
• Identify considerations for supporting individuals who decide to suppress lactation soon after giving birth
• Identify considerations for supporting parents when they decide to wean from breastfeeding

2. Credits

• Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 1 credit
• MOC Section 3 SAP – 1 hour

Breastfeeding Transitions (NEW)

1. Learning Objectives

• Identify considerations for supporting breastfeeding parents when they introduce complementary foods
• Identify considerations for responsive feeding when introducing complementary foods
• Be aware of AHS resources to support complementary feeding
• Identify considerations to support breastfeeding parents when they return to work or school
• Identify considerations to support parents who decide to continue breastfeeding during pregnancy
• Identify considerations to support parents who decide to breastfeed multiple children of different ages
• Recognize considerations to support parents who decide to breastfeed beyond what may be culturally expected
• Identify considerations for supporting individuals who decide to suppress lactation soon after giving birth
• Identify considerations for supporting parents when they decide to wean from breastfeeding

2. Credits

• Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 1 credit
• MOC Section 3 SAP – 1 hour

Upcoming Modules

• Breastfeeding Support for Preterm, Small, & Sick Infants (coming in 2025)