Keynote – General Session: 10:20-11:20 a.m. MT – Morning Session

Looking Beyond The Latch

Lactation providers often spend more time with families than pediatricians and see infants across multiple developmental stages, placing them in a key position to identify concerns and make timely referrals that support both feeding success and overall growth. This session focuses on recognizing signs—rather than diagnosing—conditions that require referral, including torticollis, a common congenital muscular issue affecting up to 1 in 6 newborns, and its impact on feeding. It also reviews CDC developmental milestones at 3, 6, and 9 months, outlines how to refer families to early intervention programs for developmental concerns, and emphasizes building interdisciplinary networks. The goal is to increase providers’ confidence in spotting physical and developmental red flags, understanding their anatomical basis, and creating effective referral plans to ensure infants receive appropriate care.

BIO:  Emma Burress is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), originally from Cape Town, South Africa. Emma’s interest in maternal child health began during her public health studies where she focused on children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, and blossomed as she completed her training to become a Doula and Childbirth Educator. Emma worked as a volunteer doula at her local hospital and her experiences with birthing families drove her to pursue her lactation education. 

Emma is dedicated to supporting pregnant and postpartum families though her work as the Clinical Coordinator of NC A&T’s Pathway 2 Graduate Certificate in Human Lactation.  In her current position she contributes to educating and mentoring the next generation of IBCLC professionals. Emma is able to combine her academic studies in Anatomy, Public Health and Lactation as well as her experience in academic programming to provide clinical skills education and manage the clinical partnerships of the program.

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BONUS SESSION:

August 25, 2026 – Lactation, Late Nights, and Leveraging AI: Naya, a New Member of the Care Team

SPEAKER: Sonal Patel, MD

The 4th trimester is a critical yet under-supported period marked by intense physical, emotional, and relational changes for birthing parents and their families. Breastfeeding and lactation challenges often peak during this time—frequent feeds, pain, supply concerns, and conflicting advice—while families simultaneously navigate sleep deprivation and limited access to real-time professional support. This session introduces Naya, an AI-powered 4th-trimester companion curated by Dr. Patel, as an innovative adjunct to traditional postpartum and lactation care. We will explore how Naya can provide evidence-informed, on-demand guidance around breastfeeding, newborn behavior, and parental wellbeing, while reinforcing safe boundaries and the central role of human clinicians. Finally, we will discuss ethical, equity, and practical considerations in integrating AI into postpartum care—highlighting where it can extend the village around new families, and where human touch remains irreplaceable.

BIO: Sonal Patel, MD. She is a pediatrician, neonatologist, & breastfeeding specialist whose education has been centered on infant nutrition with its impact on development and maternal wellbeing in the 4th trimester. She founded NayaCare in 2018. NayaCare is a home health clinic focused on improving postpartum care. She has written several articles on this subject, published in Scary Mommy, Kevin MD, and Colorado Sun. She wrote her first book, The Doctor and Her Black Bag, which examines maternal mortality in historical and personal context and solutions to reduce maternal mortality. She is a TEDx speaker: The Economics of the 4th Trimester. She is also the co-founder and co-executive director of Center for 4th Trimester Care, a physician-led national nonprofit organization challenging the status quo of maternal healthcare. She has co-created a breastfeeding toolkit helping mothers of premature babies achieve their breastfeeding goals: Small Steps, BIG Gains. Lastly, since 2018, she has been a member of Good Business Colorado, a nonprofit helping small businesses have a voice in policy. She lent her voice to passing FAMLI, paid family and medical leave in Colorado.

nayacare.org

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Breakout Session Speakers

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BREAKOUT #1

1 A. Non-Latching Babies: Intervention Strategies & Counseling 

SPEAKER: Catherine Watson Jenna, BS, IBCLC

When infants have special needs, establishing breastfeeding can take more time and specific strategies to target the impact of their medical condition. This presentation covers strategies for assisting early feeding difficulties in infants with neurological issues such as Down syndrome, musculoskeletal and anatomic problems including torticollis and orofacial clefts, and cardiorespiratory difficulties. Counseling techniques to help parents recognize progress and reframe unhelpful thoughts are particularly important in this context.

BIO: See above – Keynote speaker

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1 B. More Than Milk: How Lactation May Shift the Menopause Timeline

SPEAKER: Alena Clark, PhD, MPH, RDN, CLC

Emerging evidence suggests that breastfeeding has meaningful long-term implications for maternal health beyond the perinatal period, including its potential role in shaping reproductive aging. Prospective cohort data indicate that breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of early natural menopause, independent of parity, likely mediated by lactation-induced hormonal changes that suppress ovulation and influence ovarian reserve dynamics. More recent longitudinal research further demonstrates a dose–response relationship between cumulative lifetime lactation and menopause characteristics, with longer breastfeeding duration associated with reduced risk of early natural menopause as well as lower likelihood of surgical and hysterectomy-related menopause before midlife. Together, these findings suggest that breastfeeding may help “normalize” the timing of menopause within the biologically typical window (approximately 50–55 years), while also reducing downstream risks associated with early reproductive aging, including cardiovascular disease and metabolic dysfunction. Reframing breastfeeding as a contributor to lifelong maternal health may strengthen advocacy efforts, improve counseling relevance for mothers, and support more holistic, life-course approaches to care.

BIO:

Dr. Alena Clark is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Her research and professional practice center on advancing nutrition across the reproductive lifespan, with a particular focus on pregnancy, reproductive health, and lactation support.

Dr. Clark holds a Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from Colorado State University, an M.P.H. in Public Health Nutrition from the University of Minnesota, and a B.A. in Nutrition and Dietetics from Concordia College. She is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified lactation counselor, bringing a wealth of experience from clinical, public health, and academic settings.

Deeply committed to promoting healthy lifestyles for parents, infants, and individuals navigating reproductive health, Dr. Clark actively collaborates with organizations that advocate for evidence-based nutrition and wellness practices. Her work bridges research and real-world application, aiming to improve health outcomes through education, support, and community engagement.

@AlenaClark

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1 C. LactiConnect: Implementing Breastfeeding Support Through Community-Trained Specialists Providing Telephone Counseling (Spanish)

SPEAKER: Lupe Zarate, MD

Access to timely, culturally responsive lactation support remains a significant barrier in underresourced communities. In Colorado, data from the Colorado WIC Program (2024) indicate that breastfeeding prevalence declines from 53% during the first postpartum week to 32% at six months postpartum, while only 3.5% of individuals report receiving breastfeeding information via telephone, according to the Baby & You Survey (2024). These gaps highlight the need for accessible, community-based breastfeeding support strategies and continuity of care. This project evaluates the development and early implementation of LactiConnect, a training program preparing community members to provide telephone-based breastfeeding support. Surveys and interviews will assess feasibility and early outcomes, including recruitment, retention, and training completion rates among lactation counselor participants. Recruited through a community leadership initiative, participants complete an accredited online training program covering lactation fundamentals, counseling skills, common breastfeeding challenges, referral pathways, and culturally responsive peer support, reinforced through weekly study sessions facilitated by a lactation consultant. Post-training surveys assess changes in perceived competence, self-efficacy, and preparedness to provide breastfeeding support. Trained participants then deliver telephone-based support to postpartum individuals experiencing early breastfeeding challenges, with outcomes including breastfeeding confidence and access to timely, evidence-based guidance evaluated through pre- and post-intervention surveys. Open-ended responses explore program acceptability and opportunities for improvement. LactiConnect is currently implementing this structured training program for community members to become breastfeeding support specialists. Training community members as breastfeeding support specialists may strengthen the lactation workforce and improve access to culturally responsive care, while telephone-based peer support offers a scalable model to reduce barriers and improve breastfeeding outcomes.

BIO: Lupita Zarate is an internationally trained physician with over 10 years of experience in community health, preventive care, and maternal and child health. Her work focuses on community-based breastfeeding education, culturally responsive peer counseling, and strengthening access to lactation support through community-led initiatives.

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BREAKOUT #2

2 A. Understanding Infant Feeding: Breast vs. Bottle 

SPEAKER: Catherine Watson Jenna, BS, IBCLC

Breast vs Bottle: Infant anatomy and physiology are adapted for breastfeeding. The mechanics and physiological cost of feeding differ by method, with particular implications for preterm and ill infants. This presentation reviews differences in muscle activation, tongue kinematics, intraoral vacuum requirements, flow characteristics, energy expenditure, and coordination of swallowing and breathing during breastfeeding and bottle feeding. Methods to adapt breastfeeding and bottle feeding for special populations are addressed.

BIO: See above – Keynote speaker

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2 B.  From Viral Trends to Real-Life Feeding: Supporting Families in a Social Media-Driven World

SPEAKERS: Katie Clark, IBCLC

Social media has fundamentally changed how families access breastfeeding information and support. Research shows new parents check social media multiple times daily, with breastfeeding among the most searched topics—yet the digital landscape is dominated by formula marketing, misinformation, and exploitative content. This session examines the current state of social media’s influence on infant feeding decisions, exploring both the significant risks and the profound benefits of online peer support.

Attendees will learn where families are getting their information, why simply telling parents to avoid social media is ineffective and unrealistic, and how to guide appropriate use of digital platforms. We’ll explore common dangerous trends and misinformation circulating online, from inflated low supply concerns to International Code violations by formula companies. Equally important, we’ll discuss the positive impact social media can have—research demonstrates that quality online peer support increases breastfeeding confidence, duration, and maternal self-efficacy.

This presentation equips lactation professionals with evidence-based strategies to meet families where they are, combat harmful content, and leverage social media as a tool for supporting breastfeeding families. Participants will leave with practical resources for curating trusted online content, addressing misinformation in consultations, and building their own professional social media presence to ensure credible information reaches parents in their most vulnerable moments.

BIOs:  Katie Clark is a mom of four boys and IBCLC who runs a group practice in the Denver Metro area. She has a passion for milk supply, pumping, and prenatal preparation and, most importantly, providing families with compassionate, evidence-based care. She has been in the online space as a professional blogger since 2013 and currently maintains a large social media presence for her breastfeeding content, which has given her a front-row seat to what new families are bombarded with on a regular basis.

@the.breastfeedingmama   |   @TheBreastfeedingMama   |   @thebfmama

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2 C.  Bridging Breastfeeding Gaps: Lessons Learned from In-Home Visits

SPEAKER: Allison Lindbloom, MD

A universal nurse home visiting program offers a unique perspective on common breastfeeding challenges and provides the opportunity to address health equity barriers that, left unaddressed, increase risk for adverse outcomes associated with breastfeeding. Through a series of case studies, Family Connects nurses from the Denver metro area will share their experiences supporting breastfeeding in the home visit setting and will share common gaps in breastfeeding support that their patients have experienced. Family Connects is an evidence-based nurse home visiting program that provides 1 to 3 visits in the home for new families in the first 3 months of their child’s life; nurses are trained in breastfeeding support as well as assessment of social determinants of health. The in-home visit thus combines practical education and skills building with referrals to address health equity factors that can make breastfeeding more difficult. Cases include an infant with failure to thrive due to parental lack of social support and lack of anticipatory guidance about switching from pumping to latching; families with difficulty pumping due to lack of access to pump supplies and education about pumping; and barriers to coordination of care, particularly for non-English speaking families. Supporting these families in the home context has provided our team with insight into how clinic- and hospital-based professionals can better prepare and empower families for successful breastfeeding at home. We hope by sharing our lessons learned, we can help other clinicians provide better education for patients and work collaboratively to promote health equity for all new families.

BIO:  Allison (Allie) Lindbloom, MD, completed medical school at the University of Pennsylvania in 2018 and family medicine residency at the University of Colorado in 2021. In her clinical practice, she is proud to provide full-spectrum family medicine care: she sees patients at the Denver Health Federico Pena Primary Care Clinic, delivers babies at Denver Health Hospital, and leads the inpatient Family Medicine service at Denver Health. Allie loves using medical education to inspire the next generation of physicians to care for underserved communities and regularly teaches medical students and residents in her roles as an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and core faculty at the University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency. Allie is bilingual in English and Spanish and is passionate about partnering with community organizations to empower individuals about their health through education. As the medical director of Family Connects Colorado, a nurse home visiting program for families with newborns, she leads education for the program’s nurses and builds statewide partnerships to provide evidence-based public health interventions to new families across the state.

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BREAKOUT #3

3 A. Triple Feeding: Evidence, Ethics, Maternal Mental Health, and Exit Strategies

SPEAKER: Ana Grantham, RN, BSN, IBCLC

Triple feeding is a commonly recommended intervention in the early postpartum period to support infant growth and protect milk supply, yet many families experience significant physical, emotional, and logistical burdens while attempting to sustain these intensive feeding plans. This presentation will explore the clinical indications for triple feeding, the impact on maternal mental health and fourth trimester recovery, and the influence of social media and feeding culture on parental expectations. Participants will examine how health equity, access to support, parental leave, and socioeconomic factors affect the feasibility of triple feeding, particularly for vulnerable families. Practical strategies for creating individualized, sustainable feeding plans, supporting informed decision-making, and developing clear exit strategies will be discussed through evidence-based guidance and clinical case examples.

BIO:

Ana Grantham, RN, BSN, IBCLC, is a registered nurse with nearly 30 years of clinical experience and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant specializing in complex feeding challenges. She has completed more than 200 hours of advanced lactation and breastfeeding medicine education, including the IABLE Core Curriculum and the two-year IABLE Deep Dive Breastfeeding & Lactation Medicine Program. Through her clinical work, Ana frequently supports families navigating triple feeding, milk transfer concerns, low milk supply, pumping dependence, and medically complex feeding situations, with a focus on practical, evidence-based strategies that are sustainable for real families.

@FindingPeaceLactation

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3 B.  Improving Breastfeeding Rates Utilizing Prenatal and Postnatal Partnerships: Making CHAMPS National Work at Denver Health

SPEAKER: Bethany Carvajal, MD

Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternal Practices (CHAMPS) enrolled 100 hospitals across the United States and its territories to improve maternal-child health practices. The goal of this work was to increase exclusive breastfeeding rates, improve maternity care, and decrease racial disparities. Denver Health (DH) is in a unique position to promote these goals given its urban location, patient population, and integrated care model. DH became the only Colorado hospital in the CHAMPS network in 2024. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight our implementation and compare our metrics to the CHAMPS network.

BIO: Dr. Bethany Carvajal is a general pediatrician and IBCLC at Denver Health. After completing medical school at the University of Colorado, she went on to train in pediatrics at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Her career has taken her to practices in big cities, small towns, private practices, big hospital-based clinics and finally to a large FQHC, which turns out was the job she always wanted to do, but didn’t know it. Currently, she has a large general pediatric practice and is also the medical director of the outpatient lactation and breastfeeding support clinic at one of Denver Health’s locations. Outside of work, she is a wife, a mom to two boys (one of which just graduated high school- don’t mention it or she will cry), a hobbyist beekeeper and an adoring bulldog mom.

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3 C.  Moccasins on the Ground: Community – Based Lactation Support for Indigenous Families in Colorado

SPEAKER: Amy Barcenas, ILC

Indigenous families in Colorado experience significant disparities in breastfeeding initiation and duration,shaped by historical trauma systemic barriers in healthcare, and lack of culturally safe support. This session introduces the emerging Indigenous Lactation Counselor(ILC) model as a community driven response to these disparities. Grounded in a “moccasins on the ground” philosophy , this presentation shares how in home community based lactation support delivered by Indigenous counselors builds trust and improves outcomes for families who have been underserved by traditional clinical models. Attendees will learn about the first ILC training to be held in Colorado,and explore how coalitions,health systems, and tribal partners can support the growth of an Indigenous perinatal workforce.

BIO:

Moccasins on the Ground: Community – Based Lactation Support for Indigenous Families in Colorado

Amy Barcenas is an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe and founder of Yellowtail Lactation Consultants. She works as an Indigenous Lactation Counselor, full spectrum doula, and community health worker serving Indigenous and underserved families across the Denver metro area. A 2025 Nicole Hope Indigenous Lactation Counselor of the year, Amy brings a “moccasins on the ground” approach to perinatal care,meeting families where they are in homes,schools,and community spaces. She serves on the Denver Indian Commission Health and Wellness Board and the Colorado Perinatal Care Quality Collaborative, and is the co-author of the March of Dimes Native American Breastfeeding brochure. Amy is a mother of six and a grandmother of four, and is the great granddaughter of Chief Little Bear.

@YellowtailLactationConsultants

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