BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT SKILLS FOR DOULAS
This 4-hour class fulfills DONA’s and CAPPA’s requirement for breastfeeding education for birth and postpartum doulas seeking certification.
Next class:
Sunday, July 5, 2015 12 pm to 4 pm in Costa Mesa, CA
Finally! A breastfeeding class that’s specifically for doulas – taught by a doula! In addition to teaching the basics of lactation support (all evidence-based, of course), the class focuses on the doula’s role in educating and supporting the mother. This class will enable you to help your client so she can reach her breastfeeding goals, whatever those goals may be. We will pay special attention to supporting breastfeeding around the birth when the doula is most likely to be present. We will consider the physiologically normal course of events during the initiation of lactation and breastfeeding versus what happens as a result of common hospital practices. We’ll pay special attention to how to overcome the breastfeeding challenges posed by the most common birth interventions. We will touch on the different concerns for mothers following an unmedicated birth, a medicated birth or a cesarean. We’ll discuss the challenges posed by supporting a mother in a hospital versus supporting a mother in her home. We’ll practice the language of support that educates the mother without pressuring her. As an aspiring doula, you know that your support makes a world of difference!
Breastfeeding basics…
- Basic anatomy and physiology of the breast
- Initiation of lactation
- Maintaining lactation
- Composition of breastmilk
- Health benefits of breastfeeding for mother and baby
- The significance of the first hours after birth
- Newborn breastfeeding reflexes and behaviors
- Basic anatomy and physiology of sucking
- Achieving a painless, effective latch
- Sufficient intake and growth
- Most common challenges in the first weeks and their solutions
specifically for doulas!
- Medicated versus unmedicated births: different breastfeeding challenges
- What you need to watch out for with hospital birth clients
- What you need to watch out for with home birth clients
- Special considerations after cesareans
- Educating the mother while supporting her choice
- Effective communication skills for the postpartum mother
- Common misconceptions about breastfeeding and how to dispel them
- Normalizing the challenges of the first weeks
- Troubleshooting breastfeeding problems
- Helping the mother find support
- Knowing when to refer and to whom
Réka Morvay
IBCLC and doula
Réka Morvay is a DONA-trained birth and postpartum doula, as well as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She is a fully trained psychotherapist as well as a childbirth educator.
She has been working with mothers in the childbearing year since 2007 and has been educating doulas, midwives and other birth workers about support skills and breastfeeding since 2010.
Granola Babies
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