In 2015, you were overwhelmingly clear: You want and need quality, accessible continuing education and you were glad that ILCA provided you with the opportunity to earn FREE CERPs. A record number of our members accessed FREE CERPs in 2015!

ILCA helps you get what you need to provide the best breastfeeding support.

International Lactation Consultant Association® offers many ways members can obtain Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs):

• our annual conference,
• live webinars,
• recordings of conference and webinar sessions,
• and learning modules from the Journal of Human Lactation (JHL).

Beginning 1 January 2016, members will be eligible to earn up to 10 free CERPs:

• Standard Members: 10 free CERPs
• Clinical Professional Members: 10 free CERPs
• Breastfeeding Supporter Members: 5 free CERPs
• Student Members: 5 free CERPs

See all ILCA member benefits here.

FREE CERPS for 2016

The list was chosen to provide content on the issues that impact the IBCLC community worldwide. We also chose a variety of session types, including conference presentations, webinars, and JHL study modules. The offerings, all of which will be active for the entire 2016 calendar year, include:

Breastfeeding Interventions: What We Do and Do Not Know (1 L CERP)*: This session, presented by Miriam Labbok, MD, MPH, IBCLC, provides an excellent overview of the history of breastfeeding research, including a basic definition of breastfeeding as well as highlights the necessity of understanding research for clinical work as an IBCLC. In addition, it explains how to create a research project, for those who may contemplate diving into the research field.

Donor Milk and the NICU: Challenges and Opportunities (1 L CERP): This session, presented by Nancy Wight, MC, IBCLC, FABM, FAAP, provides a good overview of the process of milk banking and the use of donor milk in the NICU. It reviews the history of milk banking as well as the regulations and guidelines for milk banks. Two types of for-profit milk banks are described, as well as uses for processed banked human milk (PBHM) and why it is important for babies who need it. Policy statements from major institutions on use of human milk are reviewed, as well as the challenge of cooperation between those who informally share human milk and milk banks.

Breastfeeding Without Birthing: Adoption, Surrogacy, and Foster Care (1 L CERP)*: This session, presented by Alyssa Schnell, MS, IBCLC, describes those who may be interested in nursing a baby they did not birth.  It includes practical, step-by-step suggestions and processes for attempting breastfeeding. There are beneficial anecdotes and suggestions for those who are going through the process. 

Breastfeeding and Not Thriving (1 L CERP):  This session, presented by Sallie Page-Goertz, MN, APRN, IBCLC, reviews the various current definitions of clinical failure to thrive in the breastfeeding infant. It briefly reviews current practices including the use of galactagolagues and supplementation and includes several case studies which describe the application of the materials covered.

Theory on Feeding Frequency (1 L CERP): This presentation, presented by Nils Bergman, MBChB, MPH, MD, addresses fascinating research on the topic of feeding frequency. It includes evidence-based research to promote frequent feedings for breastfed infants.

He’s Home…Now What? Transitioning NICU Graduates to the Breast Post-Discharge (1 L CERP): This session, presented by Regina Maria Roig-Romero MPH, MCHES, IBCLC, highlights the fact that the transition of a premature infant to full and direct breastfeeding is most easily achieved in settings where mothers and infants are supported and assisted to practice breastfeeding frequently well before hospital discharge. Evidence shows that infants who do not make the transition to direct breastfeeding are at risk of premature weaning. Simple and easy-to-follow instructions are described. This session is available in both English and Spanish. Members may choose in which language they would like to view the FREE CERP.

Ethics in Lactation Practice (1 E CERP)*: This session, presented by Bridget Roache, RN, RM, IBCLC, Grad Dip CBE, looks at why ethical behavior is vital in ensuring the protection of clients who utilize the services of an IBCLC. The presentation explores the basic points of ethics in the area of health care provision and how these ethical parameters can be applied to clinical practice. There are in-depth explorations of informed consent, documentation, conflict of interest, and how to manage professional boundaries.

Breastfeeding and Neonatal Weight Loss in Healthy Term Infants (1 L CERP): This module from the Journal of Human Lactation focuses on the paper by Riccardo Davanzo, PhD, MD, et al. Neonatal weight loss is universally recognized, yet poorly understood and limited professional consensus exists on the definition of lower limit of safe weight loss. The author’s aim was to assess the extent of neonatal weight loss and its association with selected clinical variables in a population of healthy term infants cared for using a specific protocol on weight loss.

Maternal and Breastpump Factors Associated with Breast Pump Problems and Injuries (1 L CERP)*: This module from the Journal of Human Lactation focuses on a paper by Youlin Qi, MD, MPH, et al. The benefits of using a breast pump are well documented, but pump-related problems and injuries and the associated risk factors have not been reported. This study aimed to describe breast pump-related problems and injuries and identify factors associated with these problems and injuries.

Help us choose the final CERP!

We’ve chosen 9 units of CERP offerings and we need YOU to help choose the final one. The chosen session can be viewed by those ILCA members who have the opportunity to access free CERPs*. You can vote in the poll below, which will be open until 30 November 2015. The CERP with the most votes will be added to the final list and become available as a free CERP for members on 1 January 2016. Your choices are:

• Why Does It Hurt? A Differential Diagnosis for Breastfeeding Associated Pain (1 L CERP): This session, presented by Alison Stuebe, MD, MSc, FACOG, is an excellent review of potential causative factors for maternal nipple and breast pain. This session is easy to listen to, contains practical flow charts which are easily adaptable to a variety of breastfeeding support settings.
• Antenatal Expression of Colostrum (1 L CERP):  This session, presented by Marianne Idle, BSc, RM, IBCLC, is an overview of the expression of colostrum in pregnancy, starting around 34 weeks. It includes the effect on the mother’s confidence in breastfeeding and how long she will continue. Recommendations and effects on mothers with type II diabetes is also discussed.
• Perinatal Obesity and Breastfeeding (1 L CERP): This session, presented by Jennifer Weddig, PhD, RD, focuses on the effects of obesity on breastfeeding initiation and duration, with particular attention to the possible etiology of breastfeeding issues.  Research-based solutions and interventions are discussed, with recommendations for close follow-up and a multi-disciplinary approach to improve outcomes.

UPDATE!

Our poll is now closed and you OVERWHELMINGLY choose Alison Stuebe’s Why Does It Hurt? A Differential Diagnosis for Breastfeeding Associated Pain to be added to our list of FREE available CERPs for 2016 ILCA Members. Thank you for taking part and we appreciate all of your votes.

If you have questions or concerns, please comment below or email us at membership@ilca.org.

*indicates those CERPs included in the Breastfeeding Supporter and Student Memberships which offer the opportunity to earn up to 5 free CERPs.