Partners and Breastfeeding

Do you have a plan for involving your client’s partner in their feeding journey? You should! The evidence is clear: Partners matter to lactation outcomes, and they matter a lot. In fact, a 2024 study found that parents whose partner had a positive attitude about breastfeeding were 13 times more likely to be breastfeeding at 5 months than those whose partners did not have positive feelings about breastfeeding! 

This course teaches you how to confidently invite, educate, and encourage partners to be strong members of the lactation team. Rebecca Costello, IBCLC, MPH, combines her insight from helping thousands of families with a comprehensive review of the most recent evidence on the role of partners, covering: 

• How to expand your definition of a partner to include all key members of your client’s support team
• How to use inclusive language and an inclusive lens to ensure you are inviting everyone in
• How partner support varies among cultures, and how to meet the needs of your specific clients
• What the evidence says about partner’s experiences with lactation support and how to avoid the common negative experience of partner exclusion
• How to effectively open conversations with partners in ways that let them know you value them
• Concrete ways to involve partners in supporting the lactating parent with common challenges
• Ways to assist when partner seems unsupportive
• Specific challenges and experiences of LGBTQ+ partners

 From romantic partners to grandparents and beyond, you’ll leave this course prepared to help cultivate a strong, enthusiastic lactation team—one of the best ways to help ensure a great outcome.

This Course Awards: