Development and Evaluation of a Lactation Rotation for a Pediatric Residency Program

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pediatrics
• Lactation Science

Background:

• Pediatricians require enhanced lactation education to meet American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations.
• Current training inadequately prepares residents for breastfeeding management.
• A 2-week mandatory lactation rotation was implemented for first-year pediatric residents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a lactation education program for pediatric residents.
• To assess the impact of the program on residents' breastfeeding knowledge.
• To evaluate changes in residents' perceived confidence in managing breastfeeding.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal, pretest/posttest study design was employed.
• 45 first-year pediatric residents participated, completing a minimum of 50 hours with a lactation consultant.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics' Breastfeeding Residency Curriculum pretest measured knowledge and confidence at multiple time points.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in breastfeeding knowledge were observed immediately post-rotation and at 6 and 12 months.
• Residents reported significantly higher confidence in addressing parental questions and managing common breastfeeding problems.
• Knowledge scores improved significantly from pretest to post-rotation assessments.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive lactation education program effectively enhanced pediatric residents' knowledge and confidence.
• The program improved residents' preparedness to support breastfeeding families.
• This educational model offers a valuable approach to improving lactation support in pediatric residency.