In the absence of breastfeeding training for dietitians, the Paediatric Specialist Group of the BDA are proud to announce a new training course. This course aims to upskill all dietitians with a basic level of knowledge that will enable them to adequately support a breast feeding dyad.
Dietitian’s play a pivotal role in supporting breastfeeding parents and babies, particularly in situations out of the norm such as infants with complex medical needs e.g. congenital heart defects, cleft palate and/or parents with complex medical needs such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer.
Breastfeeding is recommended in babies exclusively for 6 months and extended up to 2 years of life (and beyond) by the World Health Organization. Currently the UK has some of the worst breast-feeding rates in the world. The health benefits of human milk for both infant and mother are well documented.
This course will help dietitians to leverage their role as one of many central to breastfeeding. Furthermore, this work aligns with national efforts by UNICEF which outline that breastfeeding needs to be supported and underpinned by evidenced-based initiatives across clinical areas.
Finally, this course will act as prerequisite to the advanced breastfeeding training, specifically designed for paediatrics dietitians (to be launched in due course).
Aim:
To understand the value of human milk and support breastfeeding and infant feeding practices using evidenced-based information, and the current social, cultural and political infant feeding context.
Learning Outcomes:
- To understand the value of human milk and breastfeeding including the main constituents of human milk and the short- and long-term health impacts of breastfeeding and human milk.
- To understand and be able to support infant feeding including the anatomy and physiology of lactation and practices which support this; the role of the dietitian in maximising breastfeeding and the use of human milk; the role of the dietitian in supporting and advocating for breastfeeding; support when babies are not breastfed including the care of sick and preterm infants; and formula feeding and the introduction of other foods.
-
To be aware of the infant feeding context including the wider social, cultural and political influences on infant feeding and the impact of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (the Code) on the dietitian’s practice.
Intended audience
- All dietitians who come across infants and families, pregnant women or women in the pre-conception phase
- Dietetic assistants
- Students (undergraduate and postgraduate)
Upcoming dates
