Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding from Coursera

Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding was designed for new mothers and the people who support them. This engaging, one-week learning experience, provides participants with everything they need to know to more successfully establish breastfeeding – or support a new mother who has decided to breastfeed. We created the course because we recognize that there is a very small window in which successful, exclusive breastfeeding can be established, and that many new mothers are mastering this skill during a busy and sometimes stressful time. Brought to life by beautiful illustrations and interviews with international mothers, we hope to reach the broadest spectrum of mothers, helping them understand the current recommendations, challenges, benefits and practical considerations around breastfeeding - while simultaneously inspiring them to consider breastfeeding as the first choice for feeding their babies.

And now for the legal stuff...

Disclaimer of Warranty and Limitation of Liability

THE INFORMATION IN THIS COURSE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY REPRESENTATION, OR WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. DIGITAL MEDIC AND STANFORD MEDICINE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY TYPE OF LOSS OR INJURY, OR ANY DAMAGES WHETHER DIRECT OR INDIRECT, ARISING FROM USE OF THIS COURSE. This course is not a substitute for the advice, diagnosis or treatment by an appropriately qualified and licensed physician or other health care provider.

The course videos must be used according to the term of our Creative Commons License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/: free distribution with attribution, no commercial use, no derivatives.

What's inside

Syllabus

100% Breastfed: A Short Course on Breastfeeding

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Helps new mothers and their support system establish successful breastfeeding practices

Provides practical considerations, benefits, and challenges of breastfeeding

Created by Stanford Medicine, a reputable institution in the medical field

Taught by Dr. Maya Adam, a medical professional in the field of breastfeeding

Offers a one-week learning experience, suitable for busy new mothers

Reviews summary

Stanford's course on breastfeeding

learners say this short course is engaging, informative, and useful for people making decisions about breastfeeding. The primarily positive reviews remark on the concise and well-presented lectures on the benefits of breastfeeding, especially for first-time mothers. Many students especially appreciate the case study-styled quizzes at the end of each module.

The course is well-presented with engaging video lectures.

"I am a Registered Nurse and Midwife working in Neonatal ICU."

"I found this a most comprehensive, helpful and well put together course."

"This was a very well put together overview of breastfeeding."

The course covers everything from the importance of breastfeeding to how to latch a baby.

"The course has reinforced and motivated me to believe this is the right choice."

"It is short and to the point which is ideal."

"The course is designed very well and the apt information that helps one to gain knowledge. Kudos!"

The case study-styled quizzes at the end of each module are a great way to test your understanding of the material.

"Beautifully done videos, concise and informative presentations, and case-study style quizzes made this course a very pleasant one to complete."

"Thank you to all who put this together!"

The course does a good job of educating about the benefits of breastfeeding for both the mother and the baby.

"This course does a good job of teaching that."

"There are really good videos on the science of breastfeeding explaining everything we need to know."

"This course also reinforced the need to treat each mothers as an individual and to work with them to overcome their challenges esp."

The course also discusses some of the challenges of breastfeeding, such as latching issues and mastitis.

"Could go more in depth with help on latching, cracked nipples."

"They abide by 6 months but should put out there that if a mother really has to go back to work and pumping causes a decrease in milk production that by 4 months IF the baby has lost de extrusion reflex and can sit upright they can start introducing food."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding with these activities:

Review your notes from a previous breastfeeding class or consult a lactation consultant

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This activity will help you refresh your knowledge of breastfeeding basics and ensure that you have a solid foundation before starting the course.

Browse courses on Breastfeeding

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Review your notes from a previous breastfeeding class or consult a lactation consultant.
Make a list of any questions that you have.

Review a recent article on lactation

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This activity will set you up for success by giving you a foundation in terms of the current recommendations and challenges around breastfeeding.

View Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical... on Amazon

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Read the article carefully.
Highlight key findings and challenges.
Write a short summary of the article.

Find a mentor who can provide guidance and support throughout your breastfeeding journey

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This activity will provide you with ongoing support and guidance from someone who has been through the breastfeeding journey before.

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Talk to your friends, family, or healthcare provider to see if they know of any breastfeeding mentors.
Search online for breastfeeding mentors in your area.
Contact potential mentors and interview them to find the best fit for you.

Three other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all six activities

Join a peer support group for breastfeeding mothers

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This activity will give you the opportunity to connect with other breastfeeding mothers and share your experiences.

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Find a peer support group in your area.
Attend a meeting or connect online.
Share your experiences and offer support to others.

Watch a video tutorial on how to increase milk supply

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This activity will help you learn more about the techniques you can use to increase your milk supply if needed.

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Find a reputable video tutorial on YouTube or another video-sharing platform.
Watch the tutorial and take notes.
Implement the techniques that you learn in the tutorial.

Volunteer at a local breastfeeding clinic

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This activity will give you the opportunity to put your knowledge into practice and help others.

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Find a local breastfeeding clinic or hospital that offers volunteer opportunities.
Apply for a volunteer position and complete any required training.
Assist breastfeeding mothers with latching, positioning, and other breastfeeding-related issues.

Career center

Learners who complete Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Breastfeeding Advocate

Breastfeeding advocates work to promote and support breastfeeding. They may work in a variety of settings, including community organizations and government agencies. Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding may be helpful for breastfeeding advocates. For example, this course may provide breastfeeding advocates with information that they can use to educate the public about the benefits of breastfeeding and to advocate for policies that support breastfeeding.

See salaries and explore the career path for Breastfeeding Advocate

Lactation Consultant

Lactation consultants help new mothers to breastfeed their babies by teaching them proper techniques and by troubleshooting any problems that come up. Because this course focuses on helping new mothers to successfully establish breastfeeding, it may be especially useful for lactation consultants who work with new mothers. By taking this course, lactation consultants may strengthen their skills and knowledge, which will increase their ability to support new mothers with their breastfeeding goals.

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Nurse

Nurses are responsible for monitoring a patient's health, helping the patient to manage their treatment plan, and educating them about their health condition. Many nurses work with expectant and new mothers. For example, nurses may work in labor and delivery, or they may work as lactation consultants. Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding may be helpful for both types of nurses. In particular, this course may help nurses who wish to become lactation consultants. Lactation consultants use their breastfeeding knowledge to help new mothers get their babies latch and to breastfeed successfully.

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Doula

Doulas provide emotional, educational, and physical support to women throughout the childbirth process, including postpartum care. Because doulas naturally focus on establishing a positive relationship between the mother and child, they may find Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding helpful. This course may help doulas to help new mothers breastfeed successfully. For example, doulas may use their knowledge to help a new mother get her baby latch.

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Pediatrician

Pediatricians help children stay healthy and treat them when they are sick or injured. Those specializing in breastfeeding may find Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding to be particularly useful. This course can equip pediatricians with the latest breastfeeding recommendations, which they may share with their patients and their patients' parents or guardians. In addition, they may use the knowledge to advise and help patients who have decided to breastfeed. The course may be particularly useful for pediatricians who work in communities where breastfeeding is not widely practiced, as this course may help them to become breastfeeding advocates.

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Public Health Nurse

Public health nurses work with individuals, families, and communities to improve their overall health and well-being. They may work in a variety of settings, including schools, clinics, and community centers. Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding may be helpful for public health nurses who work with new mothers. This course may provide public health nurses with information that they can use to educate new mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding and to help them overcome any breastfeeding challenges.

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Obstetrician

Obstetricians help women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding may be useful for obstetricians, particularly if they work in communities where breastfeeding is not widely practiced. This course may give obstetricians the information that they need to talk about breastfeeding with their patients or to help their patients to keep breastfeeding if they experience any problems.

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Health Communications Specialist

Health communications specialists develop and implement communication strategies to promote healthy behaviors. They may work in a variety of settings, including government agencies, non-profit organizations, and hospitals. Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding may be helpful for health communications specialists who work on issues related to women's health or infant nutrition. For example, this course may provide health communications specialists with the information that they need to develop communication campaigns that promote the benefits of breastfeeding.

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Medical Writer

Medical writers create written materials about medical topics. These materials may include patient education materials, journal articles, and grant proposals. Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding may be helpful for medical writers who work on topics related to women's health or infant nutrition. For example, this course may provide medical writers with the information that they need to write patient education materials about the benefits of breastfeeding.

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Childbirth Educator

Childbirth educators teach expectant parents about the physical, emotional, and practical aspects of childbirth. They may also teach parents how to feed their newborns. Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding may be helpful for childbirth educators, particularly if they plan to teach expectant parents about breastfeeding. This course may provide childbirth educators with information about the benefits of breastfeeding, as well as how to help expectant parents to establish successful breastfeeding relationships with their babies.

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Midwife

Midwives provide care during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, as well as postpartum care. While midwives are less likely to see patients who are experiencing breastfeeding problems than nurses or lactation consultants, they may still find Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding helpful. For example, this course may provide midwives with the information that they need to help patients overcome any breastfeeding challenges.

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Dietitian

Dietitians help people to improve their overall health and well-being through their diet. They may work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and schools. Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding may be helpful for dietitians who work with new mothers. For example, this course may provide dietitians with the information that they need to help new mothers to develop a healthy diet and lifestyle while they are breastfeeding.

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Policymaker

Policymakers develop and implement laws and regulations that affect the public. Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding may be helpful for policymakers who work on issues related to women's health or infant nutrition. For example, this course may provide policymakers with information that they can use to advocate for policies that support breastfeeding.

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Nutritionist

Nutritionists help people to improve their overall health and well-being through their diet. Some nutritionists specialize in prenatal and infant nutrition. Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding may be helpful for nutritionists who work with new mothers. For example, this course may provide nutritionists with information that they can use to advise new mothers on the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle while they are breastfeeding.

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Research Scientist

Research scientists conduct research to improve our understanding of the world around us. They may work in a variety of fields, including medicine, the environment, and social sciences. Stanford's Short Course on Breastfeeding may be helpful for research scientists who are interested in studying breastfeeding. For example, this course may provide research scientists with the information that they need to design studies that investigate the benefits of breastfeeding.

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