<h2>About your course</h2>
<h3>WELCOME</h3>
<p>Breastfeeding Essentials is a professional development course on lactation and breastfeeding management for medical professionals who support women during pregnancy, birthing and in the early weeks postpartum either in hospital or in the primary care setting.</p>
<p>The outline for this course was developed following extensive consultation with medical practitioners to discover their breastfeeding knowledge needs and their knowledge deficits. As well, pertinent literature and training curricula were evaluated to produce an appropriate and applicable course.</p>
<p>To ensure that the knowledge gained can be easily applied within normal medical practice, a case-based format has been used to provide clinically relevant evidence-based information. In addition, breast anatomy, lactation physiology, milk composition and other relevant topics have been included to provide a context for clinical diagnosis and management.</p>
<p>Some of the topics covered in this course may be very familiar for you. Others will bring you up-to-date with current research or provide ideas for using this knowledge in new ways. The course may also cover topics that you know very little about but are important for effective, integrated management of women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.</p>

<h3>Aim of the Course</h4>
<p>
	The aim of the course is:
	</p><ul>
		<li>to improve the breastfeeding assistance provided to women by medical professionals in a manner that is consistent and evidence-based, and</li>
		<li>to provide the consistent, convenient, cost-effective, high-quality staff education required by hospitals seeking Baby Friendly Hospitals' Initiative accreditation.</li>
	</ul>
<p></p>
<p>
	On completion of the course the participants will be able to:
	</p><ul>
		<li>provide relevant information to, and appropriately assess breastfeeding women,</li>
		<li>manage the normal breastfeeding dyad, and</li>
		<li>manage abnormal situations for the breastfeeding dyad.</li>
	</ul>
<p></p>

<h4>Pre-Test Quiz</h4>
<p>
	There is no pass mark for this quiz. It is simply to let determine your level of knowledge prior to doing this course.
</p>

<h4>Study Materials</h4>
<p>
	The study materials contain 5 Case Studies. The topics in each case study are summarised at the beginning of the Case study to give you an overview before you study each topic in detail.
</p>


<h4>Post-test Quiz and Certificate</h4>
<p>
	You will require a grade of 80% to pass the course and you are given multiple attempts. When you have passed you will be able to click on the certificate link and download and save your Certificate.
</p>


<h4>Course Evaluation</h4>
<p>
	When you have completed the course please fill out our Evaluation. We value your feedback and, like you, wish to continually improve our practice.
</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>
<h2>Dr Wendy Brodribb, PhD, MBBS</h2>
<p>Course Author</p>
<br/><br/>
<p><strong>To return to the course homepage click on the course code on the top left hand corner of the screen.</strong></p>