Course Description
The Center for Disease Control, World Health Organization, and the American Academy of Pediatrics all advise that babies are breastfed exclusively until age six months and continue to breastfeed up to age two and beyond. Variance across delivery location means that the CNM/CM cannot count on inpatient lactation consultants to provide breastfeeding education. Having the care team continue to reinforce the benefits of breastfeeding throughout pregnancy increases breastfeeding rates/confidence. However, the details of how to educate families on breastmilk benefits, latch, and common struggles is often not universally taught in midwifery education. This presentation serves to provide an outline of how to incorporate lactation education into office visits in small bite-sized chunks of five minutes or less with the goal of increasing parental confidence in establishing a positive breastfeeding relationship.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Feel confident breaking down lactation concepts throughout the antenatal course.
2. Learn 3-5 "fun facts" about lactation to excite patients about lactation.
3. Understand the concept of a deep latch.
SpeakerErica Johnson Lybarger, CNM, IBCLC
Speaker Bio
Erica Lybarger (she/her) is a Certified Nurse-Midwife and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She earned her MSN from Seattle University and practiced midwifery in Seattle, WA for ten years prior to moving to Northern Virginia where she is part of a large OB/GYN practice near Alexandria. She became an IBCLC in 2021 and has become passionate about improving antenatal lactation education.
CEs Offered: 1 CE
Course expiration: April 15, 2026