Thursday, August 2, 2012

Clinical Instruction in Lactation: Teaching the Next Generation - iBreastfeeding.com

What Makes A Good Clinical Instructor?

It is easy to find individuals who want to be IBCLCs. In many parts of the world, there are programs in a variety of formats, styles, and locations that teach the essential didactic background of lactation consulting. What is missing are sufficient numbers of qualified individuals who will offer supervised clinical instruction for the preparation of IBCLCs.

Clinical instructors require a special skill set that enables them to guide new professionals in the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Not all experienced IBCLCs want to serve as clinical instructors. Of those who wish to do so, not all will have the necessary teaching skills, experience, or professional and personal attributes that enable them to be effective clinical instructors. This chapter will explore what all good clinical instructors have in common and what can make them great.

Definition of a Clinical Instructor

The words “mentor” and “preceptor” sometimes are used interchangeably to describe individuals who provide expertise and experience and act as a role model. Figure 2.1 demonstrates how the meaning of each differs subtly from one another and sets them apart from the definition of a clinical instructor. The term “clinical instructor” as used in this text describes the person who provides educational preparation to the aspiring lactation consultant.

Clinical Instruction in Lactation: Teaching the Next Generation - iBreastfeeding.com

Clinical Instruction in Lactation: Teaching the Next Generation - iBreastfeeding.com

What Makes A Good Clinical Instructor?

It is easy to find individuals who want to be IBCLCs. In many parts of the world, there are programs in a variety of formats, styles, and locations that teach the essential didactic background of lactation consulting. What is missing are sufficient numbers of qualified individuals who will offer supervised clinical instruction for the preparation of IBCLCs.

Clinical instructors require a special skill set that enables them to guide new professionals in the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Not all experienced IBCLCs want to serve as clinical instructors. Of those who wish to do so, not all will have the necessary teaching skills, experience, or professional and personal attributes that enable them to be effective clinical instructors. This chapter will explore what all good clinical instructors have in common and what can make them great.

Definition of a Clinical Instructor

The words “mentor” and “preceptor” sometimes are used interchangeably to describe individuals who provide expertise and experience and act as a role model. Figure 2.1 demonstrates how the meaning of each differs subtly from one another and sets them apart from the definition of a clinical instructor. The term “clinical instructor” as used in this text describes the person who provides educational preparation to the aspiring lactation consultant.

Clinical Instruction in Lactation: Teaching the Next Generation - iBreastfeeding.com

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Pumping method affects milk composition for preterm infants

Study: Pumping method affects milk composition for preterm infants


Following on their study on milk volume and method of expression, which showed that a combination of pumping and hand expression (a technique termed "hands on pumping") yields more milk for preterm infants, a team at Stanford University School of Medicine has shown that pumping method also affects milk composition.
The study, led by Dr. Jane Morton, found:
The researchers’ findings confirmed that moms [of very preterm infants] who used hands-on pumping had higher fat content in their milk than women relying on electric pumps alone...
“People have suspected that mothers would be able to get more fat-rich milk with hands-on pumping but it’s never been demonstrated before,” said Jane Morton, MD, a community pediatrician who was the new paper’s first author. The suspicion arose because milk composition changes during a feeding, shifting from more-dilute milk at first to richer, higher-fat “hindmilk” at the end. Because of its high fat content, the hindmilk is more viscous, which may explain why it’s difficult to remove this milk with an electric pump alone. But extracting more high-fat hindmilk could give preemies an important calorie boost.
Dr. Morton says that her next research question is whether this higher-fat milk is sufficient to meet preemies' needs without the use of human milk fortifier. This fortifier, with the exception of the human-milk product made by Prolacta Bioscience, is made from cow's milk. Cow's milk products have been shown to increase the risk of the life-threatening condition necrotizing enterocolitis.

Breast milk courier helps Indonesian mums cope

Breast milk courier helps Indonesian mums cope
"I would like to help this nation build a better generation by helping working mothers deliver breast milk to their babies at home," said the 40-year-old Nauval, who feels the nutrients in breast milk can't be replicated by the powdered variety.


His feelings are echoed by the authorities, who are struggling to encourage Indonesian women to breastfeed their newborn babies.

Ricki Lake on "The View" - 10/22/07