This wholly online evidence-based course uses course notes, examples, links to quality educational websites, graphics, video, a workbook and self-test quizzes to assist the student’s learning. The course is extensively referenced using recent primary research and current texts relevant to the topic.
The course is facilitated via the forum by an experienced online tutor. The forum provides a place where topical issues may be raised, case studies discussed, questions posed and answered, links to additional information provided, and students and the facilitator can interact.

Aim

The purpose of this course is for the student to be confident in their ability to influence the mother's infant feeding decision, facilitate the birthing and postnatal environment to support breastfeeding and to problem-solve common difficulties encountered in the first week postpartum.

Learning Objectives

On successful completion of this course the student will be able to

• plan the most effective strategies to support mothers to choose to breastfeed
  

• identify those factors that occur in the birthing room that interfere with and support successful initiation of breastfeeding
  

• demonstrate how they would teach hand expressing breastmilk to a mother
  

• develop a check-list of educational messages that are essential to cover with a new mother prior to leaving health care supervision
  

• list the causes, prevention and management of 5 common difficulties encountered by breastfeeding mothers in the first week postpartum

Administration:

BE4 Breastfeeding Initiation and the First Week is facilitated by an experienced International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
There is a forum where topical issues may be raised, case studies discussed, questions posed and answered, links to additional information provided, etc.
The course is available as a one month subscription commencing on the day of notification to the student of their username and password.
On successful completion the Certificate will be emailed in pdf format.

Syllabus

1. The Infant Feeding Decision

   1. Associated factors

   2. Addressing the barriers
      

2. Intrapartum Effects

   1. Facilitating normal labour

   2. Intrapartum medications

   3. Mode of birthing
      

3. The First Breastfeed

   1. Detrimental practices
      

4. The First Week

   1. Practical skills

   2. Educational messages

   3. Emotional support
      

5. Problem-solving

   1. The non-latching baby

   2. Hypoglycaemia

   3. Engorgement

   4. Nipple damage

   5. Jaundice

   6. Supplements & alternative feeding methods

Required Reading Material

All required reading materials available online.

A quality, current lactation text is recommended to augment your studies.

Assessment

Achievement of the learning objectives is assessed by automatically graded, online, multiple-choice questions. A passing grade is 85%.

A Workbook, downloaded from the course, is not required to be submitted, but completion will aid learning and provide an excellent resource.

Accreditation

On successful completion of this course you will be awarded:

• 12 L CERPs*

• 12 Contact Hours (ANCC)**

*IBLCE Approval Number: C26309
**Health e-Learning is an approved provider of continuing education by the Virginia Nurses’ Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. ANCC Approval 07-01-01

Quality Assurance

• Author: Denise Fisher, MMP, BN, IBCLC

• Reviewed by subject matter experts: Sue Cox, IBCLC (ver 2) and Ruth Cantrill IBCLC (ver 1)

• Course release date: November 2006.

• Next review date: November 2008

Enrolment and Fees

Enrollments are accepted online, or upon receipt of a faxed or mailed enrollment form (number and address on enrollment form). Click HERE now to go to the Enrollment page where you can enroll online or download and print the Enrollment Form

US$108.00 per course (approx AUS/Can/NZ$115)

Enrollment period is for one month per course, cumulative eg. 3 course enrollments = 3 months access to all 3 courses.