AHS 20-Hour Breastfeeding Course

AHS 20-Hour Breastfeeding Course

Course Overview

Alberta’s go-to online 20-hour breastfeeding course for healthcare professionals. This free CME-accredited course provides flexible, accredited learning to enhance your breastfeeding knowledge and support skills. The self-paced online modules have been developed for all health care providers working with expectant and breastfeeding families across the continuum of care.

Promoting a Positive Breastfeeding Experience

Acknowledgement

 This course was co-developed with AHS Early Years Health Promotion team and was planned to achieve scientific integrity, objectivity and balance.

Registration

FREE Self-registration

Create an ECME e-Learning Profile or login to an existing profile at https://ecme.ucalgary.ca.

Once logged in, go to 'e-Learning Courses' from the main menu. Find the module you want to register for in the 'e-Learning Courses' listing. After submitting your registration, you will be immediately redirected to the course. Please read the program information before you start the modules. 

You must register separately into each module.

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Contact

Email ECME
Alberta Health Services

Modules

  1. Learning Objectives

    After completing this module, you will be equipped to:

    • Recognize the importance and impact of positive breastfeeding support
    • Reflect on breastfeeding parent perspectives of breastfeeding support
    • Reflect on approaches to practice that are critical to promoting a positive breastfeeding experience
    • Apply the LEARN model to promote a positive breastfeeding experience

  2. Credits

    • Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 1.5 credits
    • MOC Section 3 SAP - 1.5 hours

  1. Learning Objectives

    After completing this module, you will be equipped to:

    • Define an IFD approach
    • Identify when an IFD approach can be used
    • Identify and define the principles of an IFD
    • Recognize how the principles of an IFD can contribute to positive outcomes for families
    • Apply principles and actions to support IFDs

  2. Credits

    • Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 1.5 credits
    • MOC Section 3 SAP – 1.5 hours

  1. Learning Objectives

    After completing this module, you will be equipped to:

    • Recognize the influence and perspectives of partners and supporters on breastfeeding
    • Recognize the different ways partners and supporters can be responsive to the breastfeeding parent’s needs
    • Apply strategies that facilitate partner and supporter involvement in breastfeeding
    • Apply the LEARN model to facilitate partner and supporter involvement in breastfeeding

  2. Credits

    • Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 1 credit
    • MOC Section 3 SAP – 1 hour

  1. Learning Objectives

    After completing this module, you will be equipped to:

    • The anatomy and functions of the lactating breast
    • The physiology of lactation and how breastmilk is produced
    • The anatomy and functions of infant oral structures
    • The components and stages of breastmilk
    • What micronutrient supplementation is needed for healthy term infants
    • The nutritional needs of the breastfeeding parent
    • The strengths and weaknesses of breastfeeding evidence
    • The health benefits of breastfeeding for women and infants/children
    • Considerations for safe breastfeeding
    • Resources that support informed feeding decisions for safe breastfeeding
    • When breastfeeding may be contraindicated and appropriate follow-up care

  2. Credits

    • Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 2 credits
    • MOC Section 3 SAP – 2 hours

  1. Learning Objectives

    After completing this module, you will be equipped to: 

    • Recognize inborn feeding instincts that support the breastfeeding relationship and cue-based feeding.  
    • Identify approaches to breastfeeding support and indicate why certain approaches are beneficial for the breastfeeding relationship. 
    • Identify the benefits of skin-to-skin care for the breastfeeding family. 
    • Identify why it is useful for the breastfeeding parent to learn hand expression. 
    • Identify how different breastfeeding positions may be helpful for the breastfeeding dyad. 
    • Recognize the principles of an effective and comfortable latch. 
    • Recognize the signs of effective and ineffective milk transfer. 
    • Identify considerations and components of a breastfeeding assessment. 
    • Recognize how room sharing facilitates cue-based feeding. 
    • Identify the impact of breastfeeding on sleep and strategies to improve sleep for the breastfeeding dyad.  
    • Recognize how breastfeeding impacts the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.  

  2. Credits

    • Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 2 credits 
    • MOC Section 3 SAP – 2 hours 

  1. Learning Objectives

    After completing this module, you will be equipped to: 

    • Recognize why breastfeeding-related pain and discomfort occurs.
    • Recognize the impact of breastfeeding-related pain on the breastfeeding dyad.
    • Identify appropriate management strategies and interventions to support parents who experience breastfeeding-related pain and discomfort.
    • Recognize how breastfeeding may be impacted by nipple variations.
    • Identify appropriate management strategies and interventions to support parents with nipple variations.
    • Identify considerations for the use of nipple shields and recommendations for proper fit.
    • Recognize different breast variations and how breastfeeding might be impacted.
    • Identify appropriate management strategies and interventions to support parents with breast variations.
    • Recognize why different milk supply challenges occur and how they impact breastfeeding.
    • Identify appropriate prevention and management strategies to support parents experiencing milk supply challenges.

     

  2. Credits

    • Mainpro+ Self-Learning – 3 credits 
    • MOC Section 3 SAP – 3 hours 

  3. Learning Objectives (cont.)

    • Recognize why hyperlactation and forceful milk ejection reflex occur and how these conditions impact breastfeeding.  
    • Identify appropriate prevention and management strategies to support breastfeeding dyads experiencing hyperlactation and forceful milk ejection reflex.  
    • Recognize the impact of birth complications and interventions on the breastfeeding parent. 
    • Recognize the impact of physical conditions on the breastfeeding parent. 
    • Recognize the impact of mental health concerns on the breastfeeding parent.  
    • Identify appropriate strategies to support breastfeeding parents with various health circumstances. 
    • Recognize why postpartum engorgement occurs and how it impacts breastfeeding.  
    • Identify appropriate prevention and management strategies to support parents experiencing postpartum engorgement.  
    • Describe reverse pressure softening and manual lymphatic drainage techniques.  
    • Recognize why ductal narrowing occurs and how it impacts breastfeeding.  

  4. Learning Objectives (cont.)

    • Identify appropriate management strategies to support parents experiencing ductal narrowing. 
    • Identify clinical presentation of inflammatory mastitis, bacterial mastitis, and breast abscess. 
    • Identify appropriate management strategies to support parents experiencing inflammatory mastitis, bacterial mastitis, and breast abscess.  
    • Identify why subacute mastitis occurs and how it can impact breastfeeding.  
    • Identify why the diagnosis of mammary candidiasis is no longer supported. 
    • Identify spectrum-wide strategies to support parents who experience breast tissue inflammation. 

Upcoming Modules

  • Module 7 – Variations & Challenges for the Breastfeeding Infant (coming in 2024)
  • Module 8 – Breastmilk Expression & Supplementation (coming in 2024)
  • Module 9 – Practices that Support Breastfeeding
  • Module 10 – Breastfeeding Transitions
  • Module 11 – Breastfeeding Support for Preterm & Sick Infants

ECME Online Self-Learning Courses