 A new study involving several MILC Club members links the 2018 discontinuation of the Lactation Consultant (LC) program at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre (HSC) to lower breastfeeding rates and increased formula use across Manitoba. Researchers analyzed data from over 126,000 births (2014–2021) and found that First Nations and remote-living infants experienced the most significant declines in breastfeeding—up to three times greater than other groups. In contrast, infant feeding rates remained stable at St. Boniface General Hospital, where the LC program continued. The study underscores the critical role of LC support in promoting breastfeeding equity, especially among vulnerable populations.
 Back row (left to right): Daniel Flores-Orozco, Sarah Bridgman, Zahra Nouri, Deane Noseworthy, Roxanne Myslicki, Carol Dick, Michelle Olivson, Kelly Fitzmaurice, Katherine Kearns, Christina Raimondi, Aislinn Hasty. Front row (left to right): Larissa Lotoski, Spencer Ames, Rowan Shwaluk, Meghan Azad (chair), Sarah Turner, Karinne Muniz (MILC Club coordinator). On May 28 2025, MILC Club members and THRiVE lab guests gathered in person in Winnipeg to share updates and exchange ideas on a range of initiatives supporting infant feeding and maternal health. Highlights included updates on the Milk Mentors program, the Community Breast Pump Library, and enhanced Indigenous engagement efforts, led by the Youville Team. Discussions also included ongoing breastfeeding education, quality improvement initiatives, community and system-level collaborations led by the Winnipeg Breastfeeding Centre, and updates from the MILC Proof-of-Concept Study. The group also brainstormed impactful ways to utilize a potential significant donation, aiming to further strengthen their support for families across Manitoba.
 MILC members along with a multidisciplinary team of scientists have published the International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium study protocol to better understand the complex makeup of human milk and its role in infant growth, immunity, and development. By combining expertise from nutrition, global health, and data science, the consortium aims to conduct the most comprehensive, standardized analysis of human milk to date—spanning low-, middle-, and high-resource settings—to guide new strategies for improving maternal and child health worldwide. The protocol brings together 36 authors affiliated to 33 institutions to describe the analysis of 1946 human milk samples from 1040 mother-infant dyads spanning 4 countries in 3 continents. The protocol paper is a great achievement for IMiC! Read the Tweetorial here.
 We’re excited to announce the official launch of the Community Pump Library - supported by MILC, in partnership with Youville Community Health Centre. Each pump is delivered with a personal drop-off appointment that includes usage guidance, and follow-up support is available within 48 hours. Families also have access to a Milk Mentor for breastfeeding help, and each pump comes with a collapsible wash basin and a laminated resource binder. Already serving the Winnipeg community, the program has seen strong demand since its soft launch in February and has received positive feedback from parents and care providers. We're proud to support this initiative that offers practical, wraparound care.
MILC director highlights the unmatched benefits of breastfeeding for infant health and development4/8/2025
 Credit: epsiloon.com In the French scientific magazine Epsiloon, the article 'Allairtement: Quels sont les bienfaits démontrés?' features Dr. Azad emphasizing the unparalleled benefits of breastfeeding, highlighting its unique ability to adapt to a baby’s changing nutritional and immune needs. Unlike formula, which remains static, breastmilk evolves to provide the right balance of nutrients and antibodies as a baby grows, offering tailored immune protection and fostering a healthy gut microbiome. While breastfeeding can present challenges, when possible, it remains the gold standard for infant nutrition, offering irreplaceable health benefits that formula cannot replicate.
 MILC extends its heartfelt congratulations to MSc student Rowan Shwaluk on being awarded a CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship! This scholarship program aims to foster the development of advanced research skills and support the training of highly qualified personnel, recognizing students who demonstrate exceptional achievement in their undergraduate and early graduate studies. Rowan's research is exploring how human milk components relate to infant immune development. Given the highly competitive nature of these national awards, Rowan’s success is a remarkable accomplishment, and the entire MILC team is incredibly proud of this milestone!
New online course for health professionals, featuring Dr. Azad: Human Milk and the Gut Microbiome3/3/2025
 Credit: https://unlok-education.com/ A new 60-minute online course, developed with the expertise of Dr. Meghan Azad, is now available for healthcare professionals. This course offers an accessible yet comprehensive overview of how human milk influences the developing gut microbiome. It explores the potential links between early microbiome development and the risk of chronic conditions such as asthma, allergies, and obesity. Designed to enhance the understanding of healthcare professionals across various fields, this course provides valuable insights into the crucial role of human milk in shaping long-term health outcomes.
 Left to right: Alie Johnston, Larisa Lotoski, Nathan Nickel, Karinne Muniz, Narges Khodabandehloo, Michelle Olivson, Zahra Nouri, Saeid Khakisahneh. On-screen (left to right): Meghan Azad, Christina Raimondi MILC is thrilled to announce the successful defense of Narges Khodabandehloo’s MSc thesis titled, “Lactating Parents Attending Winnipeg Breastfeeding Centre: A Descriptive Study.” Narges’ hard work and dedication to her research have made a significant contribution to ongoing work at MILC. We also appreciate her wonderful coordination of MILC Club over the past two years. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Narges on this achievement and look forward to seeing her continue to thrive in her next endeavors. We wish her all the best in this exciting next chapter!
 Credit: The International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation The International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium, led by Dr. Meghan Azad, hosted a session at the 22nd International Society for Research in Human Milk & Lactation (ISRHML) Conference held December 9-13th 2024 in South Carolina. Team members presented findings on: i) a multi-omics view of human milk composition across diverse environments, ii) machine learning approaches to predict infant growth, iii) the effects of nutritional interventions on human milk, and iv) learnings from collaborations with lower-middle income countries. A panel featuring HM science experts (Dr Shelly McGuire, University of Idaho and Dr Donna Geddes, University of Western Australia) and policy and practice experts (Dr Lawrence Grummer-Strawn, WHO and Dr Aloka Patel, Rush University) discussed knowledge translation opportunities and challenges. More details of the ISRHML conference can be found here.
 Conference notes and photos. Credit: Bridget McGann THRiVE Discovery Lab and MILC collaborated with Liminal Creations to bring a science communication workshop to the meeting of the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML). Participants discussed the fraught media landscape and social complexities around infant feeding and public literacy in lactation science, and explored new approaches and perspectives from the field of science communication. The group identified their target audiences for science communication, learned tips and tricks for talking to journalists, and had a chance to speak to a documentary film crew about their work. Additional workshops are under development, both online and in person - if you would like to be notified when registration opens, please email [email protected].
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