36th Annual Conference on Breastfeeding

What:

For the 36th year, Emory University is pleased to offer a dynamic and engaging conference on breastfeeding in collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, hospitals across the region, and partners from community organizations on April 13-15th, 2026.

-April 13th: Pre-Conference Course: 'Breastfeeding Fundamentals and Beyond" for Healthcare Providers offered in partnership with the EPIC® Breastfeeding Program

-April 14-15th Main Conference: 2 days of learning and engagement with local and national experts

-Recordings On-demand: Access the recordings from the conference (April 14-15) on demand. Recordings will be posted in late April and will be available for 60 days after posting. The On-Demand content is included with the two-day conference registration. The full 2-day On-Demand content is also available as an add-on for one-day registrants OR can be purchased as a stand-alone ticket for those who cannot attend the conference in-person.

Our conference is geared toward multidisciplinary colleagues who care for mothers and infants: Physicians, Advanced Practice Providers, Nurses, Dietitians, therapists, lactation consultants, WIC peer counselors, and more!

Trainees are welcome! Medical students, residents, fellows, nursing and NP students, or lactation trainees who can demonstrate a pathway, may access the recordings at no charge. If interested, complete the form at https://forms.gle/fYM1TVFpWmJKBpPt6 for a discount code. *Note: No continuing education is offered with the trainee discount.

Scholarships: For the 3rd year in a row, the Georgia Perinatal Quality Collaborative (GaGQC) is supporting attendance to our conference! Scholarships (for 75% off the pre-conference course and the main meeting) are available to GaPQC participating centers. These scholarships are on a first come first serve basis. They will prioritize in-person attendance, especially those who have not previously received scholarships before others will be considered. Two members of each hospital unit (NICU, MBU, L&D) from each GaPQC participating center may apply and additional members may be considered if funds allow. To apply for this scholarship, please complete this form https://forms.gle/mw4Fi3ydZoff4iqA9 and a discount code will be emailed to you if eligible.

Pre-conference - April 13 , 2026 (in-person):

This activity has been submitted to the Georgia Nurses Association for approval to award contact hours. Georgia Nurses Association is accredited as an approver of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

The American Academy of Pediatrics – Georgia Chapter is accredited by the Medical Association of Georgia to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The American Academy of Pediatrics – Georgia Chapter designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Conference - April 14-15, 2026 :

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is accredited by the Medical Association of Georgia to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Children's designates this LIVE ONLY activity for a maximum of 13.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. ****Please note that no CME will be granted for physicians for the enduring (on-demand) materials.**** Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is accredited by the Medical Association of Georgia to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The application for this nursing continuing professional development activity (both live and enduring) has been approved for 13 hours by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, which is an approved provider with distinction of nursing continuing professional development by the Georgia Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) is an approved provider for CPE as the credentialing agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The application for 13 Continuing Professional Education Hours (CPEUs) for both the live meeting and on-demand videos is currently pending .

The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners, the approved provider of CERPS. The application for this live and on-demand conference for 13 Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs) is currently pending.

Info: This session provides a concise foundation in human lactation as the biological norm for infant feeding and maternal–infant health. Participants will review current breastfeeding recommendations for exclusivity and duration, and explore the basic anatomy and physiology that support milk production and transfer. The session establishes essential knowledge to inform clinical practice and support evidence based breastfeeding care across settings.

Info: This case based session builds practical skills in lactation support through real world clinical scenarios. Participants will apply core breastfeeding principles to assess feeding challenges, practice documenting basic lactation assessments, and determine when additional support or referral is indicated. Emphasis is placed on risk appropriate decision making and effective care coordination to support safe, effective breastfeeding.

Info: This session introduces core principles of effective, patient centered communication and their application to lactation care. Participants will explore key communication strategies that support shared decision making, trust, and respect, and apply these principles to common breastfeeding scenarios. The session also examines the role of informed consent in lactation care, emphasizing ethical practice and clear, collaborative communication with families.

Info: This hands on skills lab equips participants with practical tools and techniques to support effective breastfeeding across a range of clinical scenarios. Learners will review the functions, indications, and correct use of common breastfeeding devices and breast pumps, with emphasis on matching equipment to individual clinical needs. Through structured assessment frameworks and interactive practice, participants will strengthen their ability to evaluate latch, milk transfer, comfort, and feeding effectiveness, and to thoughtfully select and guide the use of breastfeeding tools to optimize lactation outcomes.

Info: This interactive, gamified session explores the complex medical, social, and system level factors that influence breastfeeding outcomes. Through gameplay and guided reflection, participants will examine common barriers faced by families, analyze how these challenges affect feeding goals, and consider the role of healthcare professionals in mitigating obstacles. Insights gained are applied to clinical practice and advocacy efforts to strengthen lactation support.

Info: This introductory session provides an overview of breastfeeding medicine as a clinical specialty. Participants will review the history and evolution of the field, examine the role and scope of breastfeeding medicine physicians within interdisciplinary lactation care, and learn about training pathways and requirements for board certification. The session highlights how this specialty integrates into comprehensive care for lactating patients.

Info: This session focuses on supporting parents who exclusively express milk, whether by choice or necessity. Participants will review common reasons for exclusive pumping, explore evidence based strategies to support physiologically normal milk production, and practice counseling approaches that address common challenges. Emphasis is placed on reframing success and providing individualized, nonjudgmental support.

Info: This session addresses breastfeeding support for infants with medical complexity. Participants will examine how medical conditions alter typical feeding patterns and learn evidence based strategies to adapt care while preserving breastfeeding whenever possible. The session emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration to meet medical and developmental needs without abandoning the biological norm.

Info: This clinically focused session introduces a structured diagnostic approach to low milk supply. Participants will review the endocrine and autocrine regulation of lactation, differentiate common etiologies of suboptimal milk production, and practice performing a basic clinical assessment for preglandular causes.

Info: This panel discussion explores how digital media shapes parental infant feeding decisions. Participants will examine common online sources of feeding information, learn to distinguish evidence based guidance from misinformation and disinformation, and discuss practical strategies for counseling families about digital content. The session emphasizes helping families engage critically with online infant feeding information. Panel members: Michelle Pena, MD, MSHP
Tarayn Fairlie, MD, NABBLM-C, IBCLC
Kacey Nation, MSN, RNC-NIC, CBC
Teresa McCullen, IBCLC, Marche’ Smith, MD, IBCLC

Info: This immersive escape room experience challenges participants to apply clinical reasoning to lactation scenarios. Through time based problem solving, learners will evaluate causes of early postpartum milk supply decline, interpret objective intake and weight data, identify maternal contributors to suppressed lactation, and develop evidence based management plans that protect infant intake and support lactation recovery using shared decision making.

Info: This talk will present evidence on the role of breastfeeding in maternal and child health, family wellbeing, national development, and planetary health. It will also highlight multi-level breastfeeding determinants (structural- commercial, economic, political, health care systems), settings (health care services, family and communities, employment), and dyad levels. It will present the corresponding evidence-based interventions that can be implemented on a large scale following equitable person-centered systems approaches, highlighting specific recommendations for the US to make it happen.

Info: This presentation will review the evidence on human milk for the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis and other complications of prematurity. A particular focus will be on the updated guidance from the American Academic of Pediatrics publication on Human Milk and Breastfeeding for the Very Low Birth Weight Infant. Additionally, this presentation will discuss the epidemiology of NEC and current considerations on risk factors and trends in disease.

Info: Exclusive pumping requires specialized lactation support to help parents meet their feeding goals. Parents who exclusively pump face distinct obstacles in maintaining milk supply, navigating pump technology, and accessing appropriate support. Explore the unique challenges faced by exclusive pumpers, including milk supply management, common clinical challenges, equipment considerations, and emotional well-being. Attendees will learn evidence-based strategies to optimize pumping efficiency, prevent complications, and provide comprehensive support for parents who exclusively express milk and gain insights into best practices for counseling and empowering pumping parents to sustain lactation successfully.

Info: This panel will discuss the nutritional and developmental aspects of breastfeeding toddlers. Panelists will discuss nutrition needs of children >1 year of age and typical breastfeeding patterns, including expectations around weaning. Hosts: Tarayn Fairlie, MD, MPH, NABBLM-C, FAAP; Eve Wexler, MD, FAAP, IBCLC; Sarah Harmon, CNT, CLC; Rashelle Berry, RD, LD; Dinisha Batchelder, RD, IBCLC, LD

Info: This talk will present evidence on the role of lactation consultants, peer counselors, and doulas on effective breastfeeding care. It will also highlight how equitable women- and family centered systems approaches can be used to foster teamwork among providers of breastfeeding care.

Info: Practicing with a trauma-informed foundation helps to mitigate lasting harm. While lactation is often a rewarding experience, it is not excused from the potential for trauma. When clinicians understand that they can care with the intention to promote healing and support the parent-baby dyad through all of the stages of their lactation journey.

Info: This presentation focuses on equipping healthcare providers with comprehensive knowledge and strategies to support maternal milk feeding during the NICU stay, from the infant's birth to discharge. It emphasizes critical aspects such as the importance of early milk expression, the benefits of facilitating skin-to-skin contact, and the incorporation of non-nutritive breastfeeding. Providers will also learn effective strategies for introducing nutritive direct breastfeeding before transitioning to bottle feeding, ensuring that they can guide parents toward ongoing breastfeeding success and smooth discharge preparation.

Info: This talk explores how mood and anxiety disorders intersect with lactation and postpartum wellbeing and will equip clinicians with the knowledge to recognize perinatal mental health conditions, distinguish normal adjustment from pathology, and counsel families on risks of untreated illness. Participants will also learn how to access reliable resources to evaluate Medic*tion safety during breastfeeding.

Info: Breastfeeding and lactation introduce unique anatomic, physiologic, and diagnostic challenges in the evaluation and management of breast disease. This session will explore the intersection of lactation and breast surgery, with a focus on how prior and current surgical interventions—including breast augmentation, reduction, and cancer surgery—impact lactation outcomes. Common and concerning breast findings in lactating patients will be reviewed, emphasizing timely recognition of pathology while avoiding unnecessary interruption of breastfeeding. Through a surgeon’s lens, this talk will provide practical guidance to support safe, effective, and patient-centered care for lactating individuals across the spectrum of benign and malignant breast disease.

Info: This panel will discuss educational interventions aiming to increase lactation knowledge & skills that are specific for medical students, trainees, and attending physicians. They will explore gaps in lactation education in the current system and how different interventions attempt to fill those gaps.  Hosts: Tarayn Fairlie, MD, MPH, NABBLM-C, FAAP; Jasmeka McCord, MD, MSN; Marche Smith, MD; Shreeti Kapoor, MD, FAAP; Elizabeth Collins, MD, MPH

Info: This presentation focuses on discharge preparation with an emphasis on direct breastfeeding. It outlines a systematic approach to transitioning to direct breastfeeding post-discharge, aligning with parental goals during the critical NICU-to-home period. The talk offers insights into managing the challenges faced by parents and how to support sustainable breastfeeding practices.

Info: This lecture will review the differential diagnosis and evidence-based management of nipple wounds and lesions during lactation. Drawing on current research, participants will explore underlying pathophysiology, common clinical presentations, and appropriate treatment strategies to aid in wound healing, reduce unnecessary antifungal use, and improve breastfeeding outcomes.

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Host or Publisher Emory University Division of Neonatology