January Special!! CERPs and exam study: affordable AND convenient!
Are you finding it difficult to find just the right course to prepare for the IBLCE exam?
... one that is affordable .... and you can do in your own home BUT still have a tutor and colleagues to study with?
Health e-Learning has the answer for you!
The BreastEd courses cover the lactation topics examined by the IBLCE; you can do them online, at home or work, whenever it suits you; tutors and fellow students make the information-sharing forums vibrant.
AND for this month only when you enroll into 4 or more BreastEd courses you'll receive one for FREE. That works out at only US$6 per CERP/hour ... pretty good!
Hurry - offer ends at the end of January!
Visit the Health e-Learning website to choose your courses.
Have you read the latest?
Keeping you up-to-date with research: Preterm infants are more susceptible to infections causing ongoing morbidity and death is a matter of fact. That feeding preterm infants artificial milk, instead of breastmilk, dramatically increases the incidence is also a fact that causes concern to the clinicians caring for them.
This concern has led many Units to speak with mothers of preterm infants who did not intend to breastfeed explaining how important breastmilk is for the health of their baby. Of these mothers many will then provide breastmilk.
This paper looks at the effect of this intervention, not only on the amount of breastmilk provided, but also on the effect it has on the mother's anxiety level.
Read the full text of this article here: Sisk et al, 2006.
Did you know that new mothers with AIDS should be advised to formula feed, assuming acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable, safe (AFASS) infant formula is available? Of course you did! That message has been thoroughly disseminated.
Did you also know that 90% of HIV-exposed babies are born into settings where breastmilk substitutes are neither acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable nor safe and where mortality from their use is likely to increase infant mortality four-fold? No? Interesting...
A WABA Symposium on World AIDS Day reviewed and summarized the new research relating to HIV positive mothers and breastfeeding.
A Zimbabwean study demonstrated mother-to-child transmission of HIV attributable to breastfeeding at only 1% when mothers are supported to exclusively breastfeed their infants for a minimum of 3 months.
In their 'summary' a side panel makes this statement which, to me, implies that women have been experiencing high degrees of discrimination: "There are cases wherein nurses are expected to recommend and mothers are expected to comply – both where AFASS is
achievable and not. There should be a single globally applicable standard when it comes to informed choice." It's important that you read the one-page Press Release to ensure you continue to give accurate information to women in your care. You'll find it HERE, and also the Summary of the Symposium “Breastfeeding – Guarding Maternal & Child Health in an HIV & AIDS World”
Washington D.C. USA, 2 July 2005.
Clinical Tip
While not new, it's worthwhile refreshing your knowledge of Reverse Pressure Softening. This procedure was first described by Jean Cotterman for the management of edema surrounding the areola in women with breast engorgement. Basically it entails clearing the excess lymphatic fluid from around the areola just long enough to allow the baby to latch and begin suckling, reducing the engorgement.
This simple technique facilitates effective breastfeeding, reduces engorgement, reduces pain for the mother and prevents nipple trauma.
If you're not yet using it in your practice, print out this article and have it handy for when it is needed. You'll be pleased you did.
It's also very easy to teach over the phone to a mother to do herself should she already be home.
Reverse Pressure Softening
BOOK REVIEWS
The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving birth with confidence.
Author: J Lothian, C. DeVries
Publisher: Meadowbrook Press, New York
2005
300-page softcover book Beginning with the premise that most women don’t choose normal birth, (and they don’t - with epidurals for labor being de rigueur and cesarean section rates sky-rocketing) the authors state that it is because women don’t understand normal birth. The reader is then taken on a journey of discovery and learning, leading to understanding and choice.
Abdicating decision-making to ‘the system’ is an easy and frequently taken option – and why not? - a woman has to put her trust in someone. Unfortunately this openly given trust hasn't overall proven to be beneficial to women, nor their babies. The Lamaze Guide gives mothers-to-be a guide book and access to evidence-based literature to cover every step of this life-enriching journey. Combining truth about pregnancy and birthing, with factual medical knowledge and women’s stories is the beginning of an empowering experience for the mother-to-be.
Having read this book a mother-to-be will know that her contribution to decision-making must hold the highest value. She can be confident that her knowledge, her ability to seek further knowledge and to have an open discussion with her care-givers will give her the best opportunity to have the birth experience she chooses. Women are the natural protectors of their children - think of a mother bear and her cubs. With the help of this book that role can begin from conception. I will be recommending this book to all my clients and family. PS: Great to see that the ‘patterned’ breathing techniques of yesteryear have been dropped completely from the Lamaze teachings! And another one
Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering
Author: Dr Sarah J Buckley
Publisher: One Moon Press, Brisbane Australia
2005
300 pages. Softcover. Sarah Buckley is a doctor and mother of four children born at home. She combines both aspects of her life, her medical knowledge and her mothering knowledge, to write a book that explores the medical role in childbirth while creating an understanding that childbirth is an intrinsic part of a woman's life - a part that her mind and body are already programmed to achieve without intervention.
The book is a series of papers, each covering a specific topic such as epidurals, ultrasound scans, undisturbed birth, and many other aspects of normal and medicalized birth. Each paper is well-referenced using evidence-based literature, and use is made of statistics to draw attention to the current state of the issue being discussed. Some women not used to this style of writing may find it intimidating, while others will find it empowering to be on an equal footing when discussing the care of their body and their baby with their health professional.
Dr Buckley said, “I wrote and published this book to dispel the myth that birth is intrinsically painful, frightening and uncontrollable. The scientific research quoted in my book shows that our current overuse of technology in birth plays a significant role in keeping birth that way.”
The sections on breastfeeding briefly discuss the advantages of breastfeeding for both mother and baby, and emphasize that extended breastfeeding for several years is both normal and pleasurable.
I'd recommend this book to both mothers and health professionals. For a taste of some of the papers that are in the book go to Dr Buckley's website. Orders are also accepted at the website. Comment: It is encouraging to see books being published for mothers-to-be that provide them with information that allows them to make fully informed decisions about their pregnancy and childbirth - a move away from the condescending books telling mothers what they WILL experience and what WILL be done to them.
Books such as these two are a wake-up call to those health professionals who are still practicing in a paternalistic model.
As a Lactation Consultant I know that as more women view and experience childbirth as a normal life event, so they will experience and expect breastfeeding to follow just as normally.
|
Denise Fisher, MMP, BN, IBCLC
Director, Health e-Learning
Health e-Learning is recognized as a providor of excellent, high-quality, evidence-based online courses on many lactation-related subjects. Our students appreciate the quality of our courses while saying "I love learning like this!".
Many of our courses offer CERPs and nurse Contact Hours - see our website for details, then join the hundreds of health professionals studying with us today.
|
Health e-Learning Newsletter