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BBB01: Back to Basics Breastfeeding

This 20-hour course is crucial for refreshing your breastfeeding knowledge and skills, preparing for Baby Friendly Hospital (Health - Australia) Initiative or upgrading your Code education

Whether your workplace is preparing to become Baby Friendly, or you need to upgrade International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes education or you simply wish to enhance your knowledge and skills when supporting mothers and babies, this course provides the foundational knowledge to support your learning journey.

Course Learning Outcomes

Analyse and evaluate the anatomical, physiological, and biochemical foundations of lactation to inform evidence-based breastfeeding support strategies
Apply broad theoretical and technical knowledge of breastfeeding management to provide specialist advice for mothers, babies, and families in diverse clinical contexts
Analyse, generate and transmit solutions to unpredictable breastfeeding challenges using well-developed clinical reasoning and communication skills
Evaluate current evidence and international guidelines (including WHO and Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative frameworks) to support autonomous professional practice in lactation support
Demonstrate well-developed judgment and responsibility in providing specialist breastfeeding education and support within broad professional parameters

IBLCE® Detailed Content Outline

Every module maps directly to the IBLCE® Detailed Content Outline, building your knowledge progressively from foundational science through to clinical application.

This course covers the following IBLCE® DCO items. The applicable Lactation (L), Ethics (E) and Related (R) hours are shown against each heading.

A. Infant

B. Maternal

A. Infant

1. Feeding behaviours at different ages

2. Food intolerances/allergies

3. Infant anatomy and anatomical/oral challenges

4. WHO guidelines for introducing complementary foods

5. Low birth weight and very low birth weight

6. Milk banking - formal and informal

7. Normal infant behaviours

8. Nutritional requirements - including preterm

9. Preterm development, growth, and behaviours (including late preterm)

10. Skin tone, muscle tone, reflexes

11. Term development and growth

12. WHO growth charts with gestational age adjustment

13. Stooling and voiding

B. Maternal

1. Breast development and growth (typical and atypical)

2. Breast surgery

3. Composition of human milk

4. Maternal anatomical challenges

5. Maternal nutritional status

6. Nipple structure and variations

7. Nipple modifications (e.g., piercings, tattoos)

A. Physiology of Lactation

B. Endocrinology

A. Physiology of Lactation

1. Relactation

2. Infertility issues

3. Inducing lactation

4. Pregnancy and breastfeeding - tandem

5. Multiples (e.g., twins, triplets)

B. Endocrinology

1. Hormonal influence of milk production

2. Diabetes

3. Maternal hormonal disorders (e.g., pituitary, thyroid, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)

4. Maternal autoimmune disorders

5. Newborn hypoglycemia

A. Infant

B. Maternal

A. Infant

1. Ankyloglossia

2. Cleft lip and palate

3. Congenital anomalies (e.g., gastrointestinal, cardiac)

4. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), reflux

5. Hyperbilirubinemia

6. Infant neurological disabilities

7. Small for Gestational Age (SGA), Large for Gestational Age (LGA)

8. Infant acute disease (e.g., infectious, cardiac, metabolic)

9. Vertically transmitted infections (e.g., HIV, Hepatitis B)

10. Esophageal atresia

11. Inborn error of metabolism

12. Infant cancer

13. Infant GI anomalies

B. Maternal

1. Abscess

2. Milk ejection reflex dysfunction

3. Maternal acute disease (e.g., infectious, cardiac, metabolic)

4. Maternal chronic disease

5. Maternal disability (physical and neurological)

6. Mastitis

7. Milk supply, low or over

8. Nipple and breast conditions

9. Nipple pain and trauma

10. Post-partum hemorrhage

11. Pre-eclampsia / pregnancy induced hypertension

12. Maternal cancer

1. Alcohol

2. Nicotine and tobacco

3. Cannabis

4. Medications (e.g., prescriptions, over-the-counter, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, aids to labor and delivery)

5. Drugs of abuse

6. Contraception

7. Galactagogues

8. Gel dressings/nipple creams

9. Herbs and supplements

10. Chemotherapy/radiation therapy/radioactive scans

1. Transition to parenthood

2. Birth practices

3. Foods to eat/avoid that influence lactation

4. Employment - beginning or returning to work

5. Family lifestyle

6. Identifying support networks

7. Maternal mental health

8. Maternal psychological/cognitive issues

9. Breastfeeding dyad relationship

10. Safe sleep

11. Weaning

12. Cultural awareness

1. Effective milk transfer (including medically-indicated supplementation)

2. First hour

3. Latching (attaching)

4. Managing supply

5. Milk expression (e.g., pumping, hand expression, leakage)

6. Position of the breastfeeding dyad (hands-off)

7. Refusal of breast, bottle

8. Skin-to-skin (kangaroo care)

A. Equipment and Technology

B. Education and Communication

C. Ethical and Legal Issues

D. Research

E. Public Health and Advocacy

A. Equipment and Technology

1. Feeding devices (e.g., tubes at breast, cups, syringes, teats, paladai)

2. Handling and storage of human milk

3. Nipple devices (e.g., shields, everters)

4. Dummies (pacifiers)

5. Pumps

6. Scales (e.g., accuracy, precision, operation)

7. Communication technology (e.g., virtual visits, translation or interpretation services, websites)

B. Education and Communication

1. Active listening

2. Anticipatory guidance

3. Care plan development and sharing

4. Educating mothers and families

5. Educating professionals, peers, and students

6. Emotional support

7. Empowerment

8. Group support

C. Ethical and Legal Issues

1. Breastfeeding in public

2. Clinical competencies

3. Code of Professional Conduct (CPC)

4. Principles of confidentiality

5. WHO code - advocacy and policy

D. Research

1. Apply evidence-based practice

2. Interpret research results

3. Use research to help develop policies and protocols

4. Design research (including gaining ethical permission)

5. Participate in surveys and data collection

E. Public Health and Advocacy

1. Advocate for Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)

2. Advocate for compliance with World Health Organization International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (WHO Code)

3. Advocate for mother / infant in healthcare system

4. Develop breastfeeding-related policies

5. Advocate to government / health ministries

6. Breastfeeding in emergency situations (e.g., natural disasters, personal emergencies)

Course Content

Welcome