May 13, 2025 WALC Quarterly Meeting & Webinar – Infant Reflux and The Scoop on Poop – Megan Dunn, BS, IBCLC, RLC, C-NDLS 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Megan Dunn is an experienced Lactation Consultant, infant feeding specialist, and Health Educator with nearly two decades of experience providing comprehensive lactation education and clinical care. She currently maintains her private practice and works in an amazing pediatric primary care clinic in the Portland, Oregon metro area. Megan is an award-winning breastfeeding advocate, currently serving as the President of the Oregon Washington Lactation Association and loves sharing knowledge with her peers.
10:00 am – 11:00 am “Infant Reflux: Exploring the Relationship, Diagnosis and Treatment Options – “Spit Happens: Managing Infant Reflux” – Megan Dunn, BS, IBCLC, RLC, C-NDLS
Infant reflux, also known as regurgitation or spit up, is a common condition that causes parental stress and feeding concerns. Capturing 25% of chief complaints in the first year of life, there is a need for evidence-based and effective solutions for parents and healthcare providers. This presentation will focus on the impact of human milk feeding on infant reflux, examining the differences between Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER) and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), current treatment recommendations, and at-home strategies to reduce reflux triggers and improve digestion. This presentation examines and expands current management algorithms to highlight where skilled feeding support from an IBCLC, as a key care provider, can improve outcomes and parental confidence. The goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the etiology of infant feeding challenges and problematic reflux to empower parents and healthcare providers with safe and effective management decisions.
Learning Objectives – By the end of this presentation attendees will be able to:
- Differentiate between Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER) and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) symptoms in infants.
- List at least 3 evidence-based at-home strategies to reduce reflux triggers and improve digestion.
- Have a comprehensive understanding of current treatment recommendations for infant reflux, allowing them to accurately discuss these options with parents and other healthcare providers, resulting in improved management of infant reflux cases.
Keywords: reflux, GER, GERD, spit up, lactation, infant feeding problems
IBLCE Competencies: Pathology; Anatomy; Clinical Skills; Techniques; Pharmacology and Toxicology; Development and Nutrition
11:00 am – 12:00 pm “The Scoop on Poop: Understanding Infant Defecation” Part 2 – Diaper Diagnostics: Decoding Infant Elimination – Megan Dunn, BS, IBCLC, RLC, C-NDLS
This presentation aims to educate lactation professionals about infant stooling norms through looking at a global lens and into historical data regarding infant defecation norms compared to modern expectations and acceptance. Participants will learn about how human milk, alterations in the infant diet, and how medical conditions affect stooling frequency, color, consistency as well as develop and understanding of low-risk management techniques which can be used to improve infant gastrointestinal function and reduce commonly occurring symptoms associated with infant discomfort and colic. Additionally, participants will understand and accurately describe the differences between constipation, dyschezia, and other functional gastrointestinal diseases (FGIDs) and how feeding support can improve symptoms within care coordination.
Learning Objectives – By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
1. Accurately describe stooling frequency, consistency, and color norms for human milk fed infants in the first 6-12 months of life.
2. List at least three factors which adversely influence stooling in infants.
3. List low risk management recommendations to improve digestive health for infants within their own scope of practice and expertise.
Keywords: infant defection, infant stool, microbiome, dysbiosis, development, nutrition, supplements, probiotics, constipation, FGIDS, gastrointestinal
12:00 pm – General Meeting – All are welcome to attend
Registration link Link to the Zoom event will be sent via email several days before the event.
CERPs – 2 L CERPs
Cost – No fee for WALC Members
WALC welcomes new members! Annual Fee is $25 for membership from March through February, 2025. For information and to apply, return to the Home page or go to WALC.net, click on Membership Tab
SAVE THE DATE: March 6 & 7, 2025, WALC Conference, Oshkosh, WI
Questions or if you’d like to submit suggestions for topic and speaker, please contact Diane Oakland, WALC Program Chair, dianeoak@gmail.com
