Program

Please join us for a day-long seminar focused on Breastsleeging with Dr. James J. McKenna.

Dr. James J. McKenna believes that establishing a historical and cultural context is necessary for understanding how the traditional research paradigm underlying the science of infant sleep became one and the same with the social ideologies of the culture that gave rise to that science, in western industrialized countries.

Dr. McKenna will introduce and justify a new conceptual and epidemiological category, breastsleeping, that makes distinctions physiologically and behaviorally between the breastfeeding- bedsharing mother-baby dyad and the bottle or formula fed-bedsharing dyad arguing that the breastleeping behavior deserves to be recognized as legitimate and acceptably safe when practiced (as its definition suggests) in the absence of all known hazardous factor. This argument reflects the full application of evidence-based medicine, unlike the AAP’s recommendations against bedsharing under any circumstances that violates the most important evidence-based medicine procedures and requirements.

Furthermore, Dr. McKenna will present a new set of hypotheses proposing that inconsolable crying and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), seemingly remarkably different outcomes may stem from the same biological vulnerability characteristic of the human, but not other, species. It is proposed that the breastsleeping microenvironment involving increased contact including cosleeping in the form of breastsleeping can potentially supplement and act as a potential protective context within which this transition and integration can be accelerated and/or buffered.

Professor James J. McKenna, Ph.D., MA , is recognized as the world’s leading authority on mother-infant cosleeping in relationship to breastfeeding and SIDS. In recognition of his work in 2009 he was admitted as a Fellow into the select body of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s most prestigious scientific society. That same year and in recognition of his extensive work with television, radio, and print media he received from the American Anthropological Association the “2008 Anthropology In The Media Award” one of the top three awards presented to anthropologists by the association in recognition of his distinguished work in educating the public to the importance of anthropological concepts.

Presentation #1: A Brief History of Maternal-Infant Sleep in Western Industrialized Societies: Or Why Infants Have Sleep Problems To Solve

Presentation #2: The Return of Breastsleeping: Humankind’s Oldest and Most Successful Sleep and Feeding Arrangement: Part 1 Setting the Stage

Presentation #3: Part 2: What Justifies this new concept? Neuro-physiological and epigenetis lines of evidence

Presentation #4: Potential Common Biological Origins of SIDS and Colic: A Neuro-Physiological Model

Objectives: 

1. Understand how and why in western cultures solitary infant sleep and bottle feeding come to be, quite erroneously, thought to be ‘normal and healthy for a human infant
2. Understand what breastsleeping is an how and why millions of mothers breastsleep
3. Know how and why infant sleep recommendation do no uphold nor do they reflect evidence-based medicine principles, as is claimed by the AAP
4. Define clinical manifestation of Colic and SIDS and why they appear to be species-specific

Participant Confirmation and Handouts

Registration confirmation will be sent to participants providing an e-mail address. Presentation handouts are sent via e-mail 2 business days prior to the seminar.

Cancellation Policy

Credit for future seminars is available under special circumstances until one week prior to the event.

Payment Policy

Payment must be made during the time of online registration using a credit or debit card. If you need to make alternate payment arrangements such as a company check to be mailed to BreastfeedLA, you MUST select the ticket option of “General Registration by Check.”  No Early Bird registration rates will apply to payments by check. This policy is in effect as of Aug 1, 2018.

Continuing Education Credits (offered at no additional charge)

RN: BreastfeedLA is an approved provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing. This course offers 5 contact hours of continuing education. BreastfeedLA’s provider number is CEP 16435. Licensee must maintain the certificate for a period of four years.

IBCLC: BreastfeedLA is an approved Long-Term Provider by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners #CLT113-36. 4.5 L-CERPs will be awarded.

RDs & OTs: Maintain a copy of the agenda and certificate for CPEs for Professional Development Portfolio.