 The Pandemic has posed many challenges for mothers who want to breastfeed but need support to do so. Lactation consultants and mothers are taking to virtual visits, but the lack of physical contact makes it difficult to assess and assist the mother and baby. Web based forums are still available for support but can't replace the one-on-one interaction. Azad Lab postdoctoral fellow Dr. Merilee Brockway, a trained lactation consultant, spoke to Vogue magazine about these issues.
 August 1-7 is World Breastfeeding Week. Dr. Meghan Azad joined CTV news to bring awareness to the importance of breastfeeding. UNICEF and the World Health Organization are encouraging governments to support breastfeeding counselling. The latest research shows that the majority of Canadian mothers who chose to breastfeed, stop before they really want to. Dr. Azad explains further in her interview and discusses the new Manitoba Interdisciplinary Lactation Centre (MILC).
 Dr. Fiona Jardine, Advanced Lactation Consultant, presented her research on exclusive pumping to MILC club members – including why some mothers exclusively pump, the challenges they face, and the (lack of) supports available. Dr. Jardine is now planning to start a Milk Expression Research Lab that will address the many unanswered questions that have emerged from her dissertation research, including the possible impact of pumping on the composition of human milk and how to provide better support to mothers who exclusively pump. Her current and future findings will address an important gap in knowledge and support for healthcare providers, lactation consultants, and parents. Thank you Dr. Jardine for your excellent presentation!
 The CHILD Cohort Study released a new video featuring our research on breast milk and breastfeeding - including evidence that breastfed infants have higher levels of beneficial gut bacteria, healthier growth patterns, and lower rates of wheezing and asthma. Our research shows that HOW a baby is breastfed matters too – meaning, there is a difference between feeding directly from the breast and feeding pumped breastmilk from a bottle. And just like fingerprints, breastmilk is unique to each mom and baby. Watch the video to find out how these discoveries are helping parents, health professionals and communities to understand the role of breastmilk in child health and development, toward ensuring that all babies grow up healthy, however they are fed.
 MILC trainee and College of Pharmacy graduate student Uma Yakandawala wants to dig deeper into patient values and preferences when it comes to medications and breast milk. Uma received the 2020 Canada Graduate Scholarship - Masters (CGS M) award which will support her in her studies. She will be co-supervised by Dr. Lauren Kelly and Dr. Christine Leong, assistant professor, College of Pharmacy.
 MILC trainees Merilee Brockway and Sarah Turner have published an article with The Conversation Canada, focused on raising awareness about how COVID-19 is changing breastfeeding practices, and what supports are available to families during this challenging time.
 Cafe Scientifique is a free event sponsored by the Office of the Vice-President (Research and International) of the University of Manitoba.
Our MILC team spoke on breakthroughs & barriers in breastfeeding research. Sarah Turner, our MILC trainee was the moderator for the evening. Team members presented the following topics: Dr. Meghan Azad: Human Milk: Superfood and Personalized Medicine Dr. Nathan Nickel: Breastfeeding in Manitoba: Current Trends and Future Priorities Dr. Lauren Kelly: Medication and Cannabis During Breastfeeding: What We Know and What We Don’t  The University of Manitoba announced this week that MILC Co-Director Dr. Meghan Azad has received $6.5 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to assemble an international network for comprehensive description of the contents of human milk in relation to infant growth. The International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium will analyze milk from 1200 mother-infant dyads across 5 diverse settings (Tanzania, Pakistan, Nepal, Burkina Faso and Canada). Dr. Azad was interviewed on CTV Morning Live and by CBC.
 MILC co-Director Dr. Meghan Azad is one of 7 experts interviewed for the new "Breast Milk Scientific" online course, from the producers of the award-winning documentary "Microbirth".
 As part of the Committee on "Scanning for New Evidence on the Nutrient Content of Human Milk: A Model for the Derivation of Age-Specific Nutrient Requirements", MILC co-Director Dr. Meghan Azad contributed expertise at a meeting held at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in Washington, DC on November 7, 2019. The committee will develop pre-specified criteria to characterize nutrient levels in human milk and to identify characteristics of the nutritional quality of human milk in relation to infant requirements to support normal growth and development.
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