Since we started offering FREE CERPs to our members in 2015, you have been overwhelmingly clear: you want and need quality, accessible continuing education and you are glad that ILCA provides you with this opportunity.

The International Lactation Consultant Association connects you with the tools and community you need to support lactating families.

ILCA 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 2017, 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

In addition to FREE CERPs, you can find out more about all of ILCA’s member benefits HERE.

FREE CERPs for 2017:

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 2017 calendar year, include:

WHO and the Baby Friendly Initiative* with Larry Grummer-Strawn, MPA, MA, PhD: This presentation gives an overview of the current global status of the Baby Friendly Initiative and discusses the importance of optimal maternity care practices on breastfeeding success. Key challenges faced by countries to obtain and maintain Baby Friendly status are identified along with strategies for overcoming these challenges and achieving sustainable healthcare practices through interdisciplinary support networks. Also outlined are the formal WHO process that is underway to systematically review the evidence and re-evaluate the 10 steps, as well as a call to action to ILCA members. The session awards 1 L CERP.

Consequences of Risk Messages for Milk Sharing* with Aunchalee Palmquist, PhD, IBCLC: Although the research on milk sharing is scant and no evidence-based guidelines have been established, it has been practiced around the world throughout history. Today, discussions about milk sharing tend to be moralized when parents actually need the chance to make an informed decision based on a knowledge of risks and benefits. These issues are discussed in detail to help IBCLCs and other health care providers make milk sharing safer. The session awards 1 L CERP.

Medications and Breastfeeding* with Frank J. Nice, RPh, DPA, CPHP: This presentation offers guidance on how to use current resources to assess the safety of medications in lactating mothers. The session awards 1 L CERP.

Primal Caregiving* with Darcia Narvaez, PhD: Participants will learn how early caregiving has long-term effects on health and sociality in childhood and adulthood. The “human nest” and the necessity of species typical caregiving practices for optimal biological and social development will be discussed. The session awards 1 L CERP.

Behavior of the Newborn during Skin-to-Skin* (JHL Study Module): Those who access this module will be able to describe specific behavioral phases of the newborn during immediate and undisturbed skin-to-skin contact (SSC) and identify the role of immediate and undisturbed postpartum SSC on exclusive breastfeeding and mother/infant bonding. The session awards 1 L CERP.

If I Knew Then What I Know Now with Jan Ellen Brown, BS, IBCLC, RLC: The physical and emotional realities of being a lactation consultant can be taxing and isolating. This presentation offers ideas to incorporate into practice, paints a realistic picture of the work of lactation specialists, and offers moral support to attendees. The session awards 2 L CERPs.

Breastfeeding Support on the Night Shift with Betsy Ayers, RN, BSN, IBCLC; Kristen Koprowski, RN, BSN; and Dr. Jane Grassley, PhD, RN, IBCLC: Exclusive breastfeeding is a challenging goal for hospital staff. The purpose of this webinar is to identify night staff experiences, perceptions, barriers, and practices of breastfeeding support and to offer recommendations to maintain exclusive breastfeeding. The session awards 1 L CERP.

Fundamentals of Lactation Ethics: Top Ten Ways to Stay Legal and Ethical with Liz Brooks, JD, IBCLC, FILCA: The major practice-guiding documents for IBCLCs and other breastfeeding helpers tell us the rules. But the challenge comes when ethical questions arise that aren’t clearly answered by those documents. Can you advise a family about peer-to-peer milk sharing? Can you meet privacy requirements if you call or text clients on a cell phone? Can you use a photo you found on the Internet for your PowerPoint presentation? This webinar will offer a quick review (for IBCLCs and all breastfeeding helpers) of the major mandatory and voluntary practice-guiding documents. Then we’ll count down the top ten ways to assure your work with breastfeeding families remains ethical and legal. The session awards 1 E CERP.

Help us choose the final CERP!

We have chosen 9 units of CERP offerings and we need YOU to help choose the final one. The members’ choice JHL Study Module will be available to our standard and clinical professional ILCA members and will be 1 L CERP.

Vote now in the poll below, open until 30 November 2016. The study module with the most votes will become available as a free CERP for members on 1 January 2017. Your choices are:

Community Health Clinic (JHL Study Module): Those who access this module will be able to describe the role of the Diffusion of Innovations in Service Organizations Framework in implementing changes to breastfeeding policies in community clinics and identify factors that facilitate and hinder adoption and implementation of The Ten Steps to Breastfeeding Friendly Community Health Centers in community clinics.

Breastfeeding Among Adolescent Mothers (JHL Study Module): Those who access this module will be able to provide appropriate education and counseling to improve breastfeeding initiation and duration in adolescent mothers and identify 2 interventions for future study to improve initiation, exclusivity, and duration of breastfeeding in adolescent mothers.

THANK YOU for voting in our FREE CERP Poll! With 71% of the vote, ourBreastfeeding Among Adolescent Mothers JHL Study Module will be added to the list of FREE CERPs for 2017.

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

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