
Unless I am chasing after my children in fear of their lives, I do not run. Quite honestly, even when I’ve grave concern for their safety, I proceed with more of a brisk walk than a sprint. The point is, I’m not a runner. But Friday evening, after the three days I spent at the International Breastfeeding and MAINN Conference, I wanted to run. I harbored so much energy, I felt as if my legs would take off in a dusty, cartoon-like fury down the streets of Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Surely, my fellow conference goers, you felt and foster this energy too. “My mind is just exploding with ideas,” one conference participant exclaimed during Barb O’Connor’s presentation on the ‘Grandmother’s Tea’. Another, mouth agape, speechless after interacting with Cathy Holland during her presentation on Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Others buzzed about Dr. Joanne Datangel-Gallardo’s relactation presentation and Camie Goldhammer’s Culture, Trauma, and Parenting: How It Is All Connected. The list of highly inspirational and informative speakers goes on.
Embedded in our speakers’ presentations were links, documents, resources that you may have missed. I captured some of them which I’ll share below; of course nothing will be included from the breakout sessions I couldn’t attend. So if you have resources you’d like to share, it would be helpful to do so in the comments section of the blog below. We’d appreciate that!
Before we move on, I’d like to share with you a strategy Healthy Children Project’s Kajsa Brimdyr shared with me to help sift through the immense amount of insight shared by conference presenters and participants. For each article, stat or idea noted, Kajsa intersperses them through her calendar with an alarm, so that she can revisit them in manageable moments. Brilliant!
Wishing you all the best as you process the tremendousness of the International Breastfeeding and MAINN Conference experience!
————
The Global Breastfeeding Collective: a partnership of 20 international agencies with the goal of increasing investment in breastfeeding worldwide led by WHO and UNICEF
Protection, Promotion, and Support of Breastfeeding in Facilities Providing Maternity and Newborn Services: The Revised Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative 2017: proposed, revised guidance for the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative.
Baby-Friendly USA response to the revised document

Clean Label Project Infant Formula and Baby Food
Cacho’s human donor milk study
The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care: estimates that 30 percent of the nation’s health care spending is a waste
The GRADE Appraisal System: an approach to grading quality (or certainty) of evidence and strength of recommendations used by Dr. Elizabeth Crabtree and colleagues
World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) United States State by State Report
Recommendations on appropriate complementary feeding here and here
From the First Hour of Life: A New Report on Infant and Young Child Feeding 2016
Brimdyr, Cadwell, and Stevens’ free presentation of An implementation algorithm to improve skin-to-skin practice in the first hour after birth on iLactation

The Grandmothers Tea Project by Barb O’Connor materials and curriculum
UK BFHI The evidence and rationale for the Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative standards
Chocolate Milk: The Documentary Series: a documentary by Elizabeth Bayne, MPH, MFA that explores black motherhood. Film creators are still fundraising to complete the project. Find out more about their fiscal sponsorship here.
PBS’s Unnatural Causes: “What connections exist between healthy bodies, healthy bank accounts, and skin color? Four individuals from different walks of life demonstrate how one’s position in society – shaped by social policies and public priorities – affects health.”
Basketball coach and player human connection video
Carbon Footprint Due To Milk Formula IBFAN & BPNI report
“Dog milk” video comedically mocks use of species not specific milk consumption