Webinars

Overview

Michigan Breastfeeding Network presents FREE Great Lakes Breastfeeding Webinars that launch on the third Tuesday of the month at 8am EST. In planning and implementation of these webinars, we are grounding our efforts in this working definition of racial equity:

Disparities in breastfeeding are perpetuated by inequities that have historically and currently centered white people and their experiences. Racial equity in breastfeeding is both a process and an outcome. The process of working towards racial equity in breastfeeding involves purposefully decentering white supremacy and colonialism, including the notion that whiteness is the standard of normalcy, beauty, superiority, and centrality in our society. This process involves trusting Black and Indigenous families, elevating their voices, and investing in their communities. The outcome of racial equity is the adoption of breastfeeding-supportive policies and practices that eliminate negative health outcomes caused by systemic racism and realized when the social construct of race is no longer a predictor of breastfeeding outcomes.

These webinars are designed to support practice change among peer counselors, maternity care nurses, and home visitors. In providing these webinars, we are committed to 4 core values access, evidence, equity, and relevance.

Access: alignment with ongoing efforts to equitably establish breastfeeding support in every community by providing free, web-based, and regularly occurring continuing education opportunities that equip trusted leaders to provide breastfeeding support in their communities
Evidence: collaborating with presenters who share respectfully gathered data to inform practical, successful approaches to increase the feasibility of breastfeeding success
Equity: collaborating with presenters who center the individuals, families, and communities they serve in the approaches they share and whose work is centered outside of the dominant culture
Relevance: providing pertinent information on dismantling roadblocks to success that are timely and necessary to increase the feasibility of breastfeeding today

We are grateful to partner with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Health and Wellness with support provided by Ohio Department of Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Illinois Department of Public Health, Minnesota Department of Health, Connecticut Department of Public Health WIC Division, and the Tyler Rigg Foundation to offer this series and make it FREE to participate.

Webinars are available to watch whenever and wherever for up to 1 year after the initial air date. In order to qualify for continuing education, we ask that you register through GoToWebinar with the below links, watch the webinar in its entirety, and complete the post-webinar survey in its entirety. Within 24-48 hours after watching the webinar, you will get a link to the post-webinar survey. Certificates for those who watch a webinar on their own time and complete the post-webinar survey in its entirety will be distributed within 45 days. If you have any questions, please email info@mibreastfeeding.org.

View tentative 2020 Great Lakes Breastfeeding Webinar schedule here.

**Please note that the registration links are intended for individual viewing. If you are interested in watching a webinar as a group, please reach out to info@mibreastfeeding.org for more information.

RUSH PROCESSING NOW AVAILABLE! MIBFN is happy to announce that new rush processing for continuing education certificates is now available for all on-demand Great Lakes Breastfeeding Webinars! For your convenience, certificate requests are processed within 1-2 business days and emailed directly to you. Designed with participants in mind, the cost is $10 per certificate. Together, we are increasing access to equity-focused, timely, and relevant breastfeeding education. Click here to access the rush processing instructions and request form. Thank you!

Registration opens on November 17th at 8am EST to watch whenever and wherever.

Bonus Webinar! “A Look Inside the NICU: How to Best Support Families” – click here to register.

Presenters: Shatoria Townsend, MPH, CLC

Description: Webinar participants will receive an inside look at the experience of our presenter and how her journey has led to the road of advocacy and education for those currently facing a NICU stay. As a Black woman, she faced several obstacles that were compounded by the trauma endured from being in the NICU. This presentation will share techniques and information vital for any person who is facing the walls of a NICU whether parent or peer or professional breastfeeding supporter. The NICU is not a place of luxury nor an experience a parent is anticipating. An infant’s NICU stay is not always due to a premature birth but can be a result of birth complications at any age of gestation. This presentation will uncover the NICU experience through the eyes of a parent.

Objectives:

Identify reasons why an infant may enter the NICU.
Understand the importance of human milk in the NICU.
Learn how to best support birthing persons in the NICU.
Implement techniques to advocate for families while in the NICU and understand why it is important to do so as a breastfeeding supporter.

Approved for 1 L-CERP, 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 social work CE hour, and 1 dietitian CPEU until November 17, 2021.

Registration opens on October 30th at 8am EST to watch whenever and wherever.

Bonus Webinar! “Innovative Community Solutions to Support Breastfeeding” – click here to register.

Presenters: Sekeita Lewis-Johnson, DNP, FNP-BC, IBCLC, Mia Roetherford, BA, IBCLC, Elon Geffrard, BS, CLC, ICCE, CD(DONA)

Description: This webinar will share current stories from the field of inequitable practices and problematic policies impacting maternal-child care, and discuss ways to operationalize solutions and strategies for family and community support. Members of Southeast Michigan IBCLCs of Color will introduce a common-sense community initiative developed from lessons learned in the field. Accessible resources will be shared. At conclusion of this webinar, participants will have learned action items on ways to advocate, support, and uplift maternal and infant care.

Objectives:

Have recognition of “maternal/ infant separation” in a broader context, i.e. due to maternal illness or NICU stay, because of hospital policy or social services involvement.
Identify the ways systemic racism plays a major role in disparate breastfeeding rates and how current institutional policies and social nuances perpetuate breastfeeding disparities.
Name 3 unintended consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for marginalized birthing/breastfeeding families.
Identify ways to mobilize families, communities, and public/private institutions to create strategies, make decisions, and implement action steps that lead to equitable breastfeeding support in marginalized communities.

Approved for 1 E-CERP, 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 social work CE hour, and 1 dietitian CPEU until October 30, 2021.

Registration opens on October 20th at 8am EST to watch whenever and wherever.

“Breastfeeding in Color: Representation Matters” – click here to register.

Presenter: Shonte’ Terhune-Smith, BS, IBCLC

Description: Equitable lactation support for all families begins with addressing inequities within the profession. The issue of representation begins with empowering grass root organizations, promoting Black breastfeeding, and advocating for policy change. Black breastfeeding rates will continue to be lower than their counterparts until authentic representation occurs across multiple sectors. Although there has been some progression in representation within the field, there is still suppression in other areas that impacts Black families and Black lactation professionals.

Objectives:

Recognize how representation impacts Black breastfeeding initiation and duration rates
Understand the impact of overt racial discrimination against patients from providers
Understand the effects of workplace inequality among lactation professionals and strategies to address those inequalities

Approved for 1 E-CERP, 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 social work CE hour, and 1 dietitian CPEU until October 20, 2021.

Registration opens on September 15th at 8am EST to watch whenever and wherever.

“Ethical Lactation Support: Motivational Interviewing” – click here to register.

Presenter: Kyra Sanders, MSW and Tolia Mouzon-Gordy, BS

Description: The purpose of this webinar is to educate providers on how to engage families through various forms of cultural competency, motivational interviewing, breastfeeding education, community partnerships, and collaborations. A motivational interviewing approach can be effective for: establishing trust and a connection with clients; identifying the barriers that may discourage breastfeeding; acknowledging and addressing both the perception of and the accessibility of support; and connecting families to social and clinical support (such as IBCLCs) based on culturally-responsive referrals.

Objectives:

Educate professionals on how to properly engage providers on how to support breastfeeding
Inform professionals of the different resources available to increase cultural competency in breastfeeding
Improve opportunities for breastfeeding outcomes with medical professionals

Approved for 1 E-CERP, 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 social work CE hour, and 1 dietitian CPEU until September 15, 2021.

“Remembering the Role of Social Support in Fostering Breastfeeding“ – click here to register.

Presenter: Gayle Shipp, MS, PHP, CLS

Description: While it is the parent’s decision to breastfeed, there are various factors that may impact not only this decision but also the individual’s ability to continue breastfeeding. Breastfeeding has often been framed as solely the breastfeeding parent’s responsibility. This framing ignores the role of society in its support and protection, which implicitly erects barriers making it harder for families to initiate breastfeeding and reach their breastfeeding goals. This presentation will focus on the importance and the various categories of social support which help to foster breastfeeding.

Objectives:

Identify at least three individuals that would be recognized as a part of a breastfeeding parent’s social support network and what role/capacity they could be involved in providing social support
List your potential involvement or role within the social support network
Identify at least two strategies that you, as a healthcare provider, can use to support breastfeeding.

Approved for 1 L-CERP, 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 social work CE hour, and 1 dietitian CPEU until August 18, 2021.

“Motivating and Equipping Fathers with Tools for Success” – click here to register.

Presenter: Shon Hart, BS

Description: This webinar will not only inspire professionals to become more excited about the work they do, but they will be empowered and equipped with cutting edge and proven practices to impact the families and fathers they serve.

Objectives:

Teach service providers how to successfully engage fathers.
Educate service providers on what support services are necessary and needed to help fathers better support their families and themselves.
Teach service providers how to identify and remove barriers that hinders fathers’ success.

Approved for 1 L-CERP, 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 social work CE hour, and 1 dietitian CPEU until July 21, 2021.

“Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence through Postpartum Care” – click here to register.

Presenter: Eri Guajardo Johnson

Description: Particularly for survivors of sexual violence, the before, during, and after experiences of birth can be burdened with re-traumatization and increased vulnerability to new experiences of violence. As birthworkers, we have tremendous power to be of support to our clients while taking action to end the systems that perpetuate sexual violence. This presentation provides an exploration of the intersections of sexual violence and postpartum care. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the experiences around and the impact of sexual violence; ways in which trauma can manifest in birthing folk throughout the birth & postpartum period; and what we can do to best be of support.

Objectives:

Understanding sexual violence through an Intersectional & Anti-Oppression based approach.
The clinical impacts of how sexual trauma manifests in the birthing and postpartum spaces.
How providers can offer support for survivors of sexual violence.

Approved for 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 L-CERP, 1 dietitian CPEU, and 1 social work CE hour until June 16, 2021.

“Breastfeeding and Safe Sleep” – click here to register.

Presenter: Elizabeth Kushman, MPH

Description:

This webinar will cover the importance of using an integrated approach to promoting breastfeeding and safe sleep. Key concepts covered will include:

Rationale for promotion, including AAP and WHO recommendations.
Acknowledgement of the history of tension among advocates and challenges inherent in the current safe sleep guidelines.
Strategies moving past duality toward an integrated approach: NICHQ National Action Partnership to Promote Safe Sleep Improvement and Innovation Network.
Elements of a harm reduction informed approach.
How skills included in the Consultative Stance, advocated in Infant Mental Health, can be applied to an integrated approach.

Approved for 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 L-CERP, 1 dietitian CPEU, and 1 social work CE hour until May 19, 2021.

Bonus Webinar! “Pushing Through: Community Breastfeeding Support in a Pandemic” – click here to register.

Presenter: Tameka Jackson-Dyer, IBCLC, CHW

Description: Based on a myriad of factors all stemming from systemic racism, people of color are far more likely to contract and die from COVID-19. These health inequities coupled with the disregard for families of color is a deadly combination. Families of color are disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. For the Detroit community, the COVID-19 pandemic is revealing structural inequities that have long existed in America. In addition to experiencing the greatest number of deaths to COVID-19, Detroit area families also suffer from lack of access to health care during this time, including restrictions placed on birthing and breastfeeding parents. In Metro-Detroit, which accounts for 80% of Michigan’s COVID-19 confirmed cases, community organizations continue to provide breastfeeding education and skilled birth and lactation support for families in this crucial time. This presentation will describe different strategies for providing accessible lactation education and support in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Especially in communities of color, the life-saving benefits of human milk are crucial to the welfare of the community during this ongoing health emergency.

Approved for 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 E-CERP, 1 dietitian CPEU and 1 social work CE hour until May 15, 2021.

“Black Breastfeeding: Trauma and Resilience” – click here to register.

Presenter: Bonita Agee, BS, CLC

Description: In the United States, Black breastfeeding rates are lowest among all racial and ethnic groups. Even while breastfeeding rates have risen, a huge disparity between Black and white women consistently remains. Additionally, the infant mortality rate among Black babies is two to three times that of white babies. While the benefits of breastfeeding could significantly lower that rate and guard against diseases like upper respiratory infections, Type 2 Diabetes, and childhood obesity common in Black communities, barriers continue to persist that prevent Black women from reaching their nursing goals. This presentation will bring to focus multiple roadblocks, from historical trauma through present day factors, that impact breastfeeding, highlight the rise of Black lactation advocates, and outline ways to provide culturally responsive support for Black women and their infants.

Approved for 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 L-CERP, 1 dietitian CPEU, and 1 social work CE hour until April 21, 2021.

“Engaging Fathers in Breastfeeding Support” – click here to register.

Presenter: Peter Williams, BPA, CLC

Description: In this presentation, we will discuss men and breastfeeding and methods to engage their support for their breastfeeding partners. We will discuss how engaging men is made easier when we understand what motivates them as parents. Appealing to how men see themselves is at the core of what we’ve been doing at the Detroit Health Department. We spoke to fathers and we let what they told us inform what we do. There is, of course, no singular method for engaging men that works in all cases. For that reason, we will look at some things that have worked in several other jurisdictions around the region. As lactation professionals we should not fear innovation – new ideas help us to find those we’ve missed in the past.

Approved for 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 L-CERP 1 social work CE hour and 1 dietitian CPEU until March 17, 2021.

“Breastfeeding and the Fourth Trimester” – click here to register.

Presenter: Raeanne Madison, MPH

Description: Michigan is home to a significant Native American/Indigenous population known as the Anishinaabe. For centuries, the Anishinaabe people have utilized traditional postpartum recovery practices to support the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health of new parents in the first 4-6 weeks after birth. In this webinar, Anishinaabe doula and community educator Raeanne Madison will introduce you to some of these cultural practices and make connections between postpartum care and successful lactation. Participants will be tasked with creating a vision of supportive postpartum care for families in their local areas.

Approved for 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 L-CERP 1 social work CE hour and 1 dietitian CPEU until February 18, 2021.

“Breastfeeding and Racial Equity” – click here to register.

Presenter: Kenyetta Jackson, MPH

Description: Given the continued disparities in breastfeeding rates for Black and Indigenous families, this presentation will provide a historical overview of breastfeeding as a racial equity issue. Black and Indigenous families face the largest social barriers and experience the greatest health disparities when it comes to breastfeeding. Inequities result in policies, practices, and social norms that influence a person’s individual choices about breastfeeding and affect long-term health outcomes. These structural barriers exist during pregnancy, at the hospital, and in the first weeks and months at home after the baby is born—including access to Baby-Friendly hospitals and certified lactation consultants, which are often lacking in neighborhoods of color. This presentation outlines the unique challenges Black and Indigenous families face and how breastfeeding supporters can take action to ensure that all families have the choice to breastfeed.

Approved for 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 L-CERP 1 social work CE hour and 1 dietitian CPEU until January 21, 2021.

BONUS Webinar! “Transforming the System: Lactation Support through Collaborative Power” – click here to register.

Presenter: Elon Geffrard, BS, CLC

Description: Participants can expect to learn about disparities in lactation support and its effect on racial disparities in lactation initiation and duration. Participants will also walk away with an understanding about the critical importance in diversifying lactation professional representation and how parents and professionals can use their personal power and collaborative power to improve lactation support for families within existing systems.

Approved for 1 nurse’s contact hour, 1 L-CERP and 1 social work CE hour until December 20, 2020.

“Breastfeeding in the Child Care Setting” – click here to register.

Presenter: Elon Geffrard, BS, CLC

Description: Did you know that child care providers are champions and can help families meet their breastfeeding goals? This presentation will dispel breastfeeding and child care myths and discuss tools, strategies, and guidelines to support breastfeeding in child care settings.

Approved for 1 L-CERP and 1 nurse’s contact hour and 1 Social Work CE hour until November 19, 2020.