Reframing the Clinical Approach
Breastfeeding Assessment and Intervention for the Medically Fragile Infant
In this 9.5 hour, self-paced continuing education course, you’ll learn to establish, support, and maximize breastfeeding outcomes in the NICU, PICU, or high-risk follow-up clinic.
Human milk for medically fragile infants is critical.
This course covers the specific importance and specialized considerations to support breastfeeding for medically fragile infants, the establishment of the mother's milk supply (and how this is different when the infant is hospitalized), breastfeeding assessment within the intensive care units (including LATCH score and PIBBS), interventions to support medically fragile infants, and case studies to highlight strategies for successful implementation (including sequential videos marking the infant's progress and outcome). The newly updated content also includes six specialty modules on feeding implications for the breast and bottle, for diagnoses including: Late preterm infants, cleft lip and palate, Down syndrome, cardiac diagnoses, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and the NICU graduate.
Ready to get started?
Learning Objectives for NICU Feeding CEU:
Participants will be able to:
- Identify the difference in mother’s breastmilk composition between full-term infants versus pre-term infants
- Define components of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative specific to pre-term infants
- Identify the different components of the pre-term infant breastfeeding behavior scale (PIBBS)
- Identify breastfeeding positions that take into consideration the limitations the standard neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
- Recognize the benefits of skin-to-skin in the medically fragile infant
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Recognize three common initial developmental concerns in infants with HIE
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Identify two important considerations for supporting safe feeding for an infant with Down syndrome
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List specialized considerations for safe feeding for infants after cardiac surgery
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Identify at least one important frame of reference for supporting the psychosocial needs of families of NICU graduates
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Identify at least three methods of providing complete nutrition for infants with cleft palates
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Define how the feeding needs of infants born late preterm differ from full term infants
HERE'S WHAT'S INSIDE
RECORDED VIDEO Lessons
PDF Downloads
Recources
Let's Look Inside the Course
This is a complex area of practice and we know it takes time to absorb and apply new information in the NICU. We also know you’ll have a variety of medically fragile infants on your caseload. That’s why this CE course is self-paced and you can replay the videos as many times as you’d like for 6 months rather than trying to understand everything the first time through.
Module One (16 minutes)
Course Information
- Introduction
- Disclosures
- Learning objectives
-
Course overview
Module two (1 hour 35 minutes)
Establishing Breastfeeding in the NICU
- Well Baby Experience and Breastfeeding Friendly Hospital Initiative
- Infants born preterm
- Medically fragile infants
- Trauma Informed Care
- Establishing a milk supply
Module three (51 minutes)
NICU Assessment & Evaluations
- Breastfeeding Assessments
- Standardized Assessment (LATCH + PIBBS)
Module four (2 hours 12 minutes)
Feeding Interventions for Fragile Infants
- Breastfeeding interventions
- Red flags
- Instrumental evals of swallow
- Acutely ill infant
- Case Study Baby B
Module five (4 hours 40 minutes)
Specialty Populations
- Late Preterm
- Cleft Lip/Palate
- Down Syndrome
- Cardiac Diagnoses
- HIE
- NICU Graduate
Breastfeeding Assessment and Intervention for the Medically Fragile Infant
Establish, support, and maximize breastfeeding outcomes in the NICU & PICU
Course Instructor
Kelly Andrasik McLeod OTD, OTR/L, BCP, IBCLC, CNT
Kelly Andrasik McLeod is a doctorally trained occupational therapist who works as the advanced clinical specialist for the OT department at a large San Francisco Bay Area teaching hospital. She specializes in feeding and swallowing and developmental rehabilitation, for infants in the NICU and neonatal cardiac ICU. Kelly is a Certified Neonatal Therapist (CNT), is board certified in pediatrics (BCP) through AOTA, has her advanced practice certification in “Swallowing Assessment, Evaluation, and Intervention”, and is an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Kelly’s doctoral capstone examined and promoted occupational therapy’s role in maximizing breastfeeding support and improving breastfeeding outcomes for medically fragile infants.
In addition to her clinical pursuits, Kelly is a passionate instructor for OT students, as an adjunct faculty member of KUMC’s post-professional OTD program since 2020, and for healthcare professionals, by providing continuing education courses through The Lactation OT and Coast Allied Health. She has also presented for the National Association of Neonatal Therapists, the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, Stanford's High Risk Neonatal Symposium, Occupational Therapy Association of California, the Stanford Design School, and internationally for Stanford’s NeuroNICU Outreach and the Teach to Heal program.
Kelly currently provides two online continuing education courses for healthcare professionals through The Lactation OT entitled “Reframing the Clinical Approach: Breastfeeding Assessment and Intervention for the Medically Fragile Infant” now with six additional specialty modules on high risk diagnoses and “Tube to Breast: Navigating the Transition from Enteral Feeding to Breastfeeding”.
Instructor Disclosures
AOTA Approved Provider, ASHA CE Approved Provider, IBLCE Long-Term Provider
Enroll NowFrequently Asked Questions
What makes this course different from other pediatric feeding courses?
This course is specific to breastfeeding assessment and intervention strategies for medically fragile infants in the NICU, PICU, and high-risk follow-up clinics.
It brings in the therapist’s perspective on breastfeeding and optimizing outcomes for infants.
Who is this course intended for?
- Occupational Therapy Practitioners (OT & OTA)
- Speech Language Pathologist (SLP & SLP-A)
- Physical Therapy Practitioners (PT & PTA)
- Registered Nurses (RN)
- Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
- and other professionals interested in working with this specialty population
Are there prerequisites for this course?
There are no required prerequisites.
Can I count this course towards my 90 hours of lactation-specific education?
Absolutely! This course is approved for 9.5 L-CERPs. To receive credit for completion, each participant will need to complete a post-assessment with a passing score of at least 80% to ensure all learning objectives are met.
Information about AOTA CEUs
This course is approved for 0.95 AOTA CEUs for occupational therapy professionals
Participants will be required to:
- Complete the course in its entirety (100% of the course watched)
- Complete a multiple-choice post-assessment with a passing score of at least 80% (untimed test)
Information about ASHA CEUs
This course is approved for 0.95 ASHA CEUs for speech-language pathologists. ASHA CEUs will be available starting December 20, 2024. To receive ASHA CEUs, participants will be required to:
- Ensure you are eligible to receive ASHA CEUs! Click here for more information
- Complete the course in its entirety (watch time is tracked by the learning management system)
- Complete the multiple-choice post-assessment with a passing score of at least 80% (untimed test, 3 retakes)
- There is no option for partial credit
Information for Physical Therapists
APTA does not approve individual companies and you will need to check with your individual state for online course requirements.
To best prepare you can save the following:
- The certificate of completion that will be provided
- List of references
- A copy of the assessment questions
How long will I have access to the course?
6 months from the purchase date.
What is your refund/cancellation policy?
Refunds must be requested within 14 days of purchase by emailing [email protected]. A full refund is available if no modules have been started. A partial refund is available once ANY portion of the course has been viewed. The amount refunded is at the sole discretion of The Lactation OT LLC. There is no refund available after 14 days of purchase OR if module one has been completed. Recipients will receive acknowledgment of refund requests within 3 business days. If the request is valid per the terms listed above, the refund will be processed within 7 business days. If for any reason the course is canceled by The Lactation OT before the course is started, a full refund will be provided.
How do I request special accommodation?
Please send us an email at [email protected] at least 14 days before starting the course with further details of your request.
AOTA CEU Temp Block
IBLCE Long-Term Provider
9.5 L-CERPs
Working in the NICU or with medically fragile infants as a therapist can be intimidating.
Human milk is a critical piece that supports infant development, and breastfeeding can be established even in complex cases.
As you gain experience and deepen your knowledge of specific topics, your confidence will increase — and so will the outcomes of your most fragile clients.
Medically Fragile Infant bundle (19.5 hours)
- Breastfeeding Assessment and Intervention for the Medically Fragile Infant
- Failure to Thrive, Suboptimal Weight Gain, and the Lactation Savvy Therapist
- Tube to Breast: Navigating the Transition from Enteral Feeding to Breastfeeding
