For Healthcare Providers
Medication and Mothers' Milk
Breastfeeding Training and Education
There are many programs for learning to support breastfeeding. Breastfeeding support is generally divided into three categories; peer support, counselors and educators and clinical lactation consultants. The training program that is best for you will depend on your personal goals.
Thanks to our Medical Advisor, Dr. Jeanne Spencer for compiling this resource list. The title of each resource is a live, clickable link.
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School of Public Health University at Albany State University New York: This is a series of four videos, each about an hour long.
Community Health Training Institute: This is a series of two tutorials… all reading, about three hours total. This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Massachusetts Medical Society through the joint providership of Hallmark Health System and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Nutrition Division.
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Maryland Hospital Breastfeeding Policy Committee: The Maryland Hospital Breastfeeding Policy Committee coordinated a six-lecture series of free webinars about breastfeeding-related topics that were broadcasted in September and October 2016. The webinars are available as recordings here. Each of these educational opportunities features a different topic and is provided by expert physicians in the field. Continuing medical education credit is available at no charge, and all medical practitioners are welcome.
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Bella Breastfeeding: Provider Training is a peer-reviewed online course on OPENPediatrics, a free web-based digital learning platform designed for healthcare professionals around the world. The purpose of this course is to fulfill the requirement for provider education as outlined in the Baby-Friendly USA Guideline and Evaluation Criteria manual. Three hours of training are required for providers (Physicians, Midwives, Physician Assistants and Adv. Practice Registered Nurses.)
The course is comprised of 15 short learning modules, each with a several question pre-test and post-test. At the end of the course, and if a score of >80% on the test questions is achieved, the learner can print out a certificate of completion. Learners will first need to register with OPENPediatrics and then can search “Bella” or “breastfeeding” to find the course. CME approval is pending.
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Breastfeeding Information and Education
(All links below are live and clickable.)
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Professional Organizations
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Centers and Programs for Breastfeeding
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On-line videos
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Journals and Publications (Peer Reviewed)
Pennsylvania Department of Health Breastfeeding Awareness and Support Program
PA DOH Breastfeeding Program: PABC engages with the PA Department of Health to support breastfeeding in our state. The Health Department collects important data about breastfeeding in our state. The Health Department implements the Keystone 10 Initiative to assist hospitals in utilization of evidence-based practices that support breastfeeding initiation. These PA hospitals are participating in the Keystone 10 Initiative.
National Breastfeeding Resources
International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners
"IBLCE is valued worldwide as the most trusted source for certifying practitioners in lactation and breastfeeding care. IBLCE establishes the highest standards in lactation and breastfeeding care worldwide and certifies individuals who meet these standards."
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International Lactation Consultant Association
"ILCA is the only international association representing lactation professionals at the table where global health decisions are being made. These global health decisions determine the lactation care related regulations and protocols being implemented in every community around the world."
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United States Lactation Consultant Association
"USLCA is a national leader in advancing the lactation profession. We are advocates for the value lactation care providers contribute to the family healthcare team and in other community health settings. A trusted source of continuing education and professional development, USLCA and its members strive to improve the health and well-being of children and families through breastfeeding."
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Unites States Breastfeeding Committee
"The United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) is an independent nonprofit coalition of more than 100 influential professional, educational, and governmental organizations that share a common mission to drive collaborative efforts for policy and practices that create a landscape of breastfeeding support across the United States. Join our work to make a difference for our nation's families:"
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"Our mission is to help mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother."
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"The mission of Breastfeeding USA is to provide evidence-based breastfeeding information and support, and to promote breastfeeding as the biological and cultural norm. We accomplish this through a network of accredited breastfeeding counselors and comprehensive resources for the benefit of mothers and babies, families, and communities."
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Centers for Disease Control - Breastfeeding
"CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) is committed to increasing breastfeeding rates throughout the United States and to promoting and supporting optimal breastfeeding practices toward the ultimate goal of improving the public’s health."
This list of resources is not meant to serve as an endorsement of the Pennsylvania Breastfeeding Coalition or its affiliates, nor should this list be considered a full and complete representation of services in our area. We cannot accept any responsibility for the information contained on websites within each resource, and this website/webpage is not a substitute for medical advice. Always reach out to your healthcare provider if you have concerns about your baby’s health or breastfeeding. If you or your organization provides breastfeeding information, resources, and/or support, please email a short organizational description to information@pabreastfeeding.org to be included on this webpage.