Event Topics

Friends of La Leche League (formerly the LLL Alumnae Association) hosted a dessert, with a focus on sisterhood, featuring Rebecca Wells, author of the #1 NYT Bestselling novel Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood which was made into a movie starring Ashley Judd. Her other bestselling Ya-Ya books include Little Altars Everywhere and Ya-Yas in Bloom, along with The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder. Rebecca brings her skills as author, actress and teacher to create an evening of authentic and warm sharing that highlights the power of sisterhood in all its incarnations. A lively, fun, and poignant event to help celebrate the nurturing and enrichment that LLL and API bring to our lives and the lives of those we touch.

Surprises Along the Way: The Story of La Leche League’s Beginnings. How the intent to provide moms with breastfeeding information and support was more complicated than expected, right from the start, and how Attachment Parenting International was a natural outgrowth from LLL. Marian Tompson, LLLI co-Founder, Lysa Parker and Barbara Nicholson, API co-Founders.

• • 101: Breastfeeding: It’s More than a Meal. Breast milk is unique to each mother-infant dyad. Come and explore more about the microbiome created immediately after birth by skin to skin contact, the intramammary and respiratory pathways that tailor milk contents, and how breastfeeding affects infant and maternal brain development. Kathy Parkes, IBCLC

  • 102: Correlating the Union of Social Determinants of Health, Health Communication and Media Representation among African descent Women, and solutions that promote their ability to breastfeed in Today's Society. More often than not, our health care system applies an individualistic approach to women, no matter their race, class, income, or gender. The system often does not take into account how biological, behavioral, economic, or social conditions impact a woman's choice and lifestyle. We'll explore why these factors are critical to birth and breastfeeding and discuss frameworks of how providers or birth workers can better understand how to reach, support, and acknowledge patients of African descent. Shukura Ayoluwa Umi, University of Memphis, Memphis BSTARS (1 R-CERP and LLL CEU – BE)

  • 103: Parenting from Within. A discussion of how our own attachment style affects our parenting and how we can earn a secure attachment while fostering it in our own children. Information from perinatal maternal mental health to parenting in the technology age will be included. Stacy Jagger, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Registered Play Therapist (LLL CEU - CS)

  • 104: Children’s Activity: Arts and Crafts

  • 201: Tongue-tie, Lip-tie, and other Tight Oral Tissues. Oral issues can impact breastfeeding, drinking and eating solids, speech, sleep, and more. We'll look at the assessment, pre-release exercises, post-release active wound care, the inclusion of allied health providers, and assessment tools need to adequately determine the situation as well as discuss the various roles of providers in dealing with oral issues. Katherine Wilson-Thompson, IBCLC, RLC, LLLL, MOM, and Dr. Susan Campbell, Neonatologist (1 L-CERP and LLL CEU – BE)

  • 202: The Science of Mother-Infant Sleep: Reading Babies’ Cues. Does staying with your baby as they fall asleep help or hinder their sleep pattern? We'll discuss research from an international working group of experts on mother-baby sleep and share the importance of understanding infants' cues and infant feeding as part of early infant care. Wendy Middlemiss, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Educational Psychology, University of North Texas (1 R-CERP and LLL CEU – CS)

  • 203: Chemistry of Attachment. Our bodies are chemical and hormonal laboratories. These chemicals are triggered by our senses and our emotions: the act of breastfeeding and holding our children causes the release of Oxytocin (the “love” hormone); Fathers and other caregivers share in these benefits through nurturing touch and playing with their children. New research in how the heart and brain communicate play a vital role in attachment and bonding. Explore how you, as a breastfeeding support provider, can help educate and support families regarding the critical importance of creating secure attachments. Parents will also gain insights into their own biology, and their body's wisdom. Lysa Parker, Barbara Nicholson, co-Founders, API (1 L-CERP and LLL CEU – BE)

  • 204: Children’s Activity: In Harmony Music of Middle Tennessee. Enjoy interactive parent-child music time with Carrie Friddell of In Harmony Music of Middle Tennessee that strengthens relationships and offers experience with music and movement.

  • 301: A New Paradigm for Depression in New Mothers. Inflammation, part of the stress response, is the underlying physiology of depression. The perinatal period makes women especially vulnerable because inflammation naturally increases during the last trimester of pregnancy--the time when women are most at risk for depression, and continues through the postpartum period. Common experience of new motherhood: sleep deprivation, pain, and psychological trauma cause inflammation levels to rise. We'll discuss how the inflammatory response is a critical part of the stress response; why breastfeeding and anti-inflammatory treatments, such as Omega-3s, cognitive therapy, and antidepressants, can protect maternal mental health by lowering inflammation. Kathy Kendall-Tackett, IBCLC, Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Texas Tech (1 R-CERP and LLL CEU – BE)

  • 302: Empathic listening. Using empathy (emotional identification, compassion, feeling, and insight) in our lives improves mutual understanding and trust. We'll discuss overcoming common barriers and listening with authentic presence. Hear about tools you can use in the scope of your work as a breastfeeding and parenting support provider for listening from the heart, offering information for change, and problem solving which can be used in one-to-one or group discussions. Anna Childress, Ruth Trembula (1 R-CERP and LLL CEU – CS)

  • 303: The Evolved Nest. The Evolved Nest (or Evolved Development Niche, EDN), developed by Darcia Narvaez, Ph.D., refers to humanity's nest for young children, an adaptation that helped our ancestors thrive and survive. It includes soothing perinatal experience, breastfeeding for two to five years, nearly constant touch, responsiveness to needs, responsiveness of caregivers, positive climate, social support for mom and baby, free play, and nature connection. Neurobiological systems are completing their development in the early years, forming the foundations for the rest of life, affecting health, and getting along with others - socially and morally. This nest buffers against stress and optimizes normal development. We will discuss recent research studies and how breastfeeding, proper information, and support play a pivotal role in the Evolved Nest. Mary Tarsha, Ph.D. studies, Department of Psychology, Notre Dame.

  • 304: Children’s Activity: Magic Show. “Delightful, enchanted, spellbound, the spirit of playfulness and fun" are just few of the words used to describe audiences' experiences at a Russell Davis Magic Show! Russell Davis has been practicing magic for decades for young and old, for parties and corporate events. You've likely not seen a magic show quite like this one. Prepare to be amazed and fully entertained! Magician: Russell Davis Magic, Presented by Jim Parker's Songwriter's Series