Speaker(s):Cecilia Tomori, PhD, MA

Driven by the growing impacts of climate change, emergencies are accelerating and causing extreme weather events like hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. Conflict has further fueled crises. Yet, in many settings emergency preparedness and response systems do not have adequate integration of appropriate training or resources for infant feeding emergencies. All infants are vulnerable in an emergency because they are immature and require frequent care and feeding to survive. However, these vulnerabilities are not distributed equally, since in emergencies formula-reliant infants are particularly vulnerable to infection, illness and death. Breastfed infants have a safe and secure source of nutrition, but they need supportive conditions to enable them to successfully continue, especially in a time like an emergency where families may struggle with many challenges. This talk will examine some of these core challenges and whether they are appropriately considered in the policy landscape via multiple examples. A systematic approach to preparedness and response policies will be applied to examine gaps and to fuel effective advocacy efforts to ensure that all infants’ needs are addressed. Ultimately, this will point the way towards policy change that ensures that lactation is considered as a key strategy towards more resilient first food systems.

Speaker(s): Miena Hall

As breastfeeding challenges grow in complexity, the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in lactation care becomes increasingly vital. This presentation explores the synergistic partnership between Breastfeeding Medicine Physicians and International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), highlighting how their complementary roles can enhance clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.
IBCLCs provide specialized, hands-on lactation support and education, while Breastfeeding Medicine Physicians offer diagnostic and therapeutic expertise for medical conditions impacting lactation. When these professionals collaborate—through integrated clinical workflows, co-management of cases, and shared care plans—they create a robust support system that addresses both the physiological and psychosocial dimensions of breastfeeding.
Drawing on case studies and emerging models of care, this session will outline best practices for communication, referral pathways, and joint professional development. Attendees will gain insights into how collaborative care improves breastfeeding duration, increases breastfeeding confidence, and fosters a more cohesive healthcare experience for families.
This presentation proposes actionable strategies for implementing collaborative lactation care in diverse clinical settings and invites discussion on building sustainable interdisciplinary frameworks that empower both physicians and lactation providers.

Speaker(s): Larry Grummer-Strawn, PhD, MPA, MA

Access to skilled lactation support is a core priority for supporting breastfeeding throughout the world. However, the number of specialists in lactation care is extremely limited and front-line health workers typically receive very limited training on breastfeeding. Key problems with the current models for capacity building include unclear role delineation, dependence on in-service training courses, lack of assessment of competencies, and competition from the formula industry. New approaches for capacity building in a cost-effective and sustainable way are needed. This talk will discuss directions being promoted by WHO and UNICEF through the revised model for BFHI, guidance on breastfeeding counselling, training courses, a model chapter on IYCF for medical textbooks and a new breastfeeding competency verification toolkit.

Speaker(s):
Nancy M. Bernal
Maria M. Pulido
Maria Emilia Contreras

The Colombian Society of Pediatrics and the Colombian Association of Clinical Nutrition have gathered specialists with the aim of reaching national agreements on relevant and controversial topics in breastfeeding, which impact the development and growth of the infant population.
Methodology: The working group formulated 53 controversial statements following a comprehensive review of recent literature. The panel consisted of 51 specialists from fifteen associations and non-governmental organizations, emphasizing its multidisciplinary approach and regional representation. The Delphi process was conducted on a dedicated platform with online real-time discussions.
This national initiative highlights the strength of collaborative, evidence-based work and its capacity to harmonize clinical practices. Its principles and structure can serve as a model for other countries seeking to advance breastfeeding policies and professional education, reinforcing its global relevance and applicability.

Speaker(s): Dawnita Wicks

Breastfeeding is more than only nutritional; it is developmental and relational. It is time bottle-feeding instruction incorporated these elements in widespread teaching for better outcomes. Bottle-feeding is initiated in nearly 50% of newborns in the hospital and 50% are exclusively bottle fed by six months. Despite its widespread use, education on bottle-feeding is often limited, typically focusing on generalized milk volume guidelines and basic pacing techniques. These approaches rarely address infant reflexes or the bonding behaviors inherent in breastfeeding. As a result, infants may experience oral overstimulation, overfeeding, and disrupted comfort, which can reduce breastfeeding tolerance and increase parental stress. Even when feeding expressed breastmilk, supporting the infant’s natural feeding experience is essential to promoting comfort, attachment, and the benefits of responsive feeding.

TARGET AUDIANCE
Nurses, lactation consultants, pediatricians, and maternal health educators

BIONURTURING BOTTLE FEEDING TECHNIQUE
- Replicates breastfeeding positioning as closely as possible to support eye contact and comfort
- Considers the full infant feeding experience by stimulating feeding reflexes for feeding readiness
- Incorporates a comfortable feeding position to support eye contact and relaxation for baby and caregiver
- Recommends changing positions to support feeding flexibility and development like changing breasts
- Provides guided feeding volume ranges according to age and weight to match natural feeding sizes from breastfed babies.
- Includes a post-feeding transition period to support infant satiation cues and facilitate responsive caregiver interaction.

Speaker(s):
Stephanie L. Martin
Kathy Parry
Catherine S. Sullivan

The Support & Advocacy for Infant Feeding in Emergencies (SAFE) Team is a grassroots, volunteer-led initiative founded in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene to support safe infant and young child feeding in emergencies (IYCF-E) and strengthen community preparedness. They coordinated hundreds of volunteers and trained dozens of healthcare providers and emergency responders.

The researchers sought to visually document the impact of the SAFE Team’s IYCF-E efforts after Hurricane Helene.

Ripple Effects Mapping (REM) workshops were held to visually and collaboratively document the SAFE Team’s impact. Through small and large group discussions, participants reflected on SAFE Team’s activities. Participants included SAFE Team leaders and volunteers, families who received infant feeding support, healthcare providers, aid-distribution site staff, and community members. Participants shared impacts and ripples represented as visual maps during each workshop. Workshops lasted about 2 hours and were video recorded. Key themes were identified using inductive coding.

Researchers hosted one in-person (n=25) and one virtual REM workshop (n=17). Key themes included the SAFE Team’s impact on families (e.g. counseling, human milk distribution), providing SAFE infant feeding kits to distribution sites, raising awareness about IYCF-E among relief organizations, and training volunteers who are now advocating for IYCF-E preparedness in their communities. Participants shared facilitators to the SAFE Team’s successful response, identified challenges (e.g. uncontrolled commercial milk formula donations, lack of policies), and discussed recommendations for the future.

The SAFE Team’s community-led response generated lasting impacts for families, organizations, and communities, underscoring the critical need to integrate IYCF into emergency preparedness and response.

Speaker(s):
Jessica de Souza
Kristina Chamberlain
Bárbara Tideman Sartorio Camargo
Kelly Pereira Coca

Artificial intelligence (AI) is expanding access to lactation care, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased the need for remote consultations. Many breastfeeding issues have visible physical signs assessed clinically to guide care decisions, including mastitis and nipple injuries. Deep learning (DL) algorithms have shown potential in classifying these conditions through images, offering support to lactation professionals in practice and training. This work aims to (a) review studies using AI in lactation care, (b) present two DL models that identify general breastfeeding issues and nipple injuries, and (c) discuss challenges in data access, accuracy, and user trust in clinical AI systems, along with opportunities for improved outcomes in digital lactation care.

Speaker(s):
Jill R. Demirci, PhD, RN, IBCLC
Ellen M. Chetwynd, PhD MPH IBCLC
Kathryn Wouk, PhD, MS, IBCLC
Nicola Singletary, PHD MAT IBCLC

Clinicians working on the frontlines of lactation support hold a wealth of insight, innovation, and practical wisdom—yet many hesitate to share their knowledge through publication. This interactive workshop, led by the JHL Editor-in-Chief and Deputy Editor-in-Chief with other JHL editors, is designed to demystify the publication process and inspire confidence among practicing IBCLCs and other clinicians to contribute case studies, clinical reflections, and clinical innovations to JHL.
Participants will gain a clear understanding of what makes a compelling submission and why their perspective is essential to advancing the field of lactation. Through hands-on activities, attendees will brainstorm meaningful clinical experiences from their own practice, draft the beginnings of a case report or clinical brief using a guided template, and will have the option to receive real-time feedback and encouragement. JHL editors will offer insider tips on what they look for in submissions and will be available for informal “pitch consults” to help attendees shape their ideas into potential publications.
Attendees will leave with a toolkit of submission guidelines, example articles, writing templates, and a renewed sense of purpose as contributors to the clinical knowledge base. Whether you've never published before or just need a push to get started again, this session is designed to fast-track your clinical experience into published impact.
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Speaker(s): 
Lisa R. Mandell, MBA, IBCLC
Catherine Pereira-Kotze

Marketing of commercial milk formula through digital platforms now constitutes the dominant form of advertising, in many countries, which continues to undermine optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF). During May 2025, the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78) adopted a resolution on regulating the digital marketing of breastmilk substitutes, which strengthens and updates the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. The International Lactation Consultants Association (ILCA), as a Non State Actor in official relations with the WHO, had representatives attending the 77th and 78th WHA, who were directly involved in global advocacy for the adoption of this resolution.

It is important that health workers, including lactation professionals, understand the relevance and utility of this resolution, including how the resolution can be used for advocacy in different countries and contexts, to ensure that the provisions of the resolution are implemented. Much advocacy is needed to support Member States to develop national regulatory mechanisms to effectively restrict harmful digital marketing of breast-milk substitutes, including adequate and efficient monitoring and enforcement. This advocacy should be done in a manner that ensures that information available to health professionals and consumers on IYCF is unbiased, objective, evidence-based and free of conflicts of interest. This session will provide information to and empowerment of health workers and lactation professionals through technical and practical support and training, so they can be part of a coordinated and consistent approach to regulating digital marketing.
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Speaker(s): Nancy Mohrbacher

This session summarizes recent research on exclusive pumping that lactation specialists can use to more effectively guide families toward best practice. It covers timing of pumping initiation after birth, a clearer understanding of the minimum number of pump sessions per day needed to reach full milk production, and 2024 data on how the longest stretch between pump sessions affects lactation outcomes. It also includes reflections from the literature on how to address real-life barriers that affect the first days of pumping and later how to individualize pumping plans based on breast storage capacity, as well as how to best support families who pump and bottle-feed.