Breastfeeding: Public Health Perspectives

Course Overview

Engaging in this course will provide you with the opportunity to think about breastfeeding and its public health implications. The Socio-Ecological Model will be the framework of the course as we think about how each level of the Model (individual, interpersonal, community, organizational, and public policy) impacts breastfeeding practices in the United States, and globally. Through short video lectures you will be introduced to relevant topics related to the public health perspectives of breastfeeding such as the maternal and child short- and long-term health benefits, economic and environmental impacts, the state of health profession curricula surrounding breastfeeding education, and breastfeeding practices of the LGBTQ+ community. You will apply this knowledge to critique breastfeeding literature, create a breastfeeding budget for a particular breastfeeding parent persona, and design an education material to promote breastfeeding. As you complete this course, you should feel confident in identifying the barriers to successful breastfeeding practices and understand how adequate breastfeeding will impact population health.