MDPI World Breastfeeding Week Webinar 2024
Meet Our Speakers
Dr. Shela Hirani
University of Regina, Faculty of Nursing, Canada;
Dr. Shela Hirani is an Associate Professor at the University of Regina, Canada. She is a maternal and child health nursing professional, researcher, lactation consultant, and an advocate of baby-friendly initiatives. Her breastfeeding advocacy in Canada (Saskatchewan) and Pakistan has promoted breastfeeding, dismantled breastfeeding barriers, led to a baby-friendly movement, and informed programs, policies and practices in disaster relief camps, post-secondary institutions, workplaces, and public spaces where breastfeeding mothers often struggle. Dr Hirani received several honors for her contributions, including World Health Organization’s top 100 outstanding women nurse leaders (2020), the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (2023), Saskatchewan Multicultural Leadership Award from the Governor (2022), and YWCA Women of Distinction Award (2022). She is an honored listee in Marquis Who’s is Who® 2023. She is an elected board member of reputable international, national, and provincial organizations. She is providing quality mentorship to nurses and nursing students to prepare the next generation of leaders in breastfeeding advocacy.
Dr. Sylvia H. Ley
Epidemiology, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.;
Dr. Sylvia H. Ley currently holds a tenure-track faculty position as Assistant Professor in Epidemiology at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. She completed her postdoctoral training at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, her doctoral study in maternal and infant nutrition and clinical epidemiology at the University of Toronto, and registered dietitian training at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. She serves as Chair of Nutritional Epidemiology, the American Society for Nutrition, and Associate Editor of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Dr. Natalie Shenker
Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, England, Human Milk Foundation, Gossoms End Health Centre, Hertfordshire, England;
Dr. Natalie Shenker is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and cofounder of the Human Milk Foundation (HMF). The HMF operates the Hearts Milk Bank, the UK’s first non-profit, independent human milk bank that aims to fill evidence gaps in the sector while working to broaden the availability of donor human milk as a part of the comprehensive programme of lactation support. Building on expertise gained as a doctor, scientist, and social entrepreneur, Dr Shenker coordinates a network of academics and industry partners with the aim of supporting research, education, and innovation across lactation and human milk science. She sits on the MHRA Consortium for Safer Medications in Pregnancy and Lactation and has advised the Commission for Medicines on vaccination. Her recent research has included establishing the psychological impacts on mothers of receiving and donating human milk, understanding the microbiological risk profiles of donated milk, establishing the costs of running milk banking services in the UK, and comparing for-profit and non-profit human milk provision globally. Dr Shenker was awarded the MBE in the 2023 Kings Birthday Honours List for services to charity and human milk banking.
In order to commemorate World Breastfeeding Week 2024 (https://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/), MDPI is launching a special webinar to encourage researchers to come together, take action, and highlight how the exchange of findings facilitates efforts to raise awareness on breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding plays a crucial role in the early development of infants, providing essential nutrients and antibodies that bolster the immune system and promote healthy growth. It fosters a strong bond between mother and child while reducing the risk of infections, allergies, and chronic conditions. Moreover, breastfeeding supports cognitive development and contributes to long-term health benefits, including lower risks of obesity and diabetes. For mothers, it aids post-partum recovery and reduces the risk of certain cancers. Promoting breastfeeding is vital for public health, ensuring the well-being of both infants and mothers, and fostering a healthier future generation.
We are very much looking forward to seeing you at the MDPI International Day for Biological Diversity Webinar 2024. Please find below an up-to-date outline of the presenters.
Date: 07 August 2024 at 03.00 p.m. CEST | 9:00 a.m. EDT | 9:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 839 4244 6710
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
On Wednesday, 7 August 2024, MDPI organized the webinar to commemorate World Breastfeeding Week 2024 (https://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/).
Kindly find the closing summary by our speakers below.
Summary by Dr. Shela Hirani:
Breastmilk has nutritional, psychological, economic, developmental, and immunological benefits. During natural disasters, breastfeeding is an ideal nutrition source for babies, while suboptimal breastfeeding practices and the unmonitored distribution of formula milk can often lead to a rise in infant mortality and morbidity during humanitarian emergencies. In these contexts, mothers with young children must be supported by providing breastfeeding counselling, privacy, culturally sensitive care, mental health support, and need-based humanitarian aid (mainly, hygiene kits, food, and mother-friendly housing).
Summary by Dr. Natalie Shenker:
Our research programme through the Imperial College at the Human Milk Foundation aims to understand how equitable, assured access to milk banking services can be achieved, the impacts of such services, and the impact of lactation and milk bank services on maternal health and the environment. Through my UKRI Fellowship at Imperial College London, I have established a diverse programme of milk bank-focussed research and innovation activities centred on the impact of such services on the health outcomes of women and babies. This presentation highlights some of the key findings to date and the scale of the opportunities that lie ahead.
The webinar was hosted via Zoom and required registration to attend. The full recording can be accessed below. In order to learn about future webinars, you can sign up for our newsletter by clicking “Subscribe” at the top of the page.
Health Promotion and Interventions for Marginalized Mothers and Children
Guest Editor: Dr. Shela Hirani
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025
Anxiety and Depressive Disorders among Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women
Guest Editor: Dr. Georgios Eleftheriou
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024
Association between Breast Milk Composition and Neonates Growth
Guest Editor: Dr. Maria Elisabetta Baldassarre
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2024
Breastmilk for Healthy Development
Guest Editors: Dr. Monika Zielińska-Pukos and Prof. Dr. Jadwiga Hamułka
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 October 2024
What’s New in Breastfeeding？
Guest Editor: Dr. Patricia Markham Risica
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 October 2024
Breast Cancer: New Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches
Guest Editors: Dr. Erika Bandini, Dr. Tania Rossi and Dr. Sara Bravaccini
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025
Molecular and Pharmacological Basis of Breast Cancer Resistance to Therapies
Guest Editors: Dr. Stefania Crucitta and Dr. Rossana Roncato
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2024
Women’s Special Issue Series: Biomedicines (2nd Edition)
Guest Editors: Dr. Letizia Polito, Dr. Federica Falà and Dr. Riuko Ohashi
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2024
Impacts of Newborn Breast Milk Feeding
Guest Editors: Dr. Ivan Hand and Dr. Lawrence M. Noble
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 January 2025
Infant Feeding: Advances and Future Challenges: 2nd Edition
Guest Editors: Dr. Evangelia Antoniou, Dr. Maria K. Tzitiridou-Chatzopoulou and Dr. Eirini Orovou
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2024
Promoting Breastfeeding and Human Milk in Infants
Guest Editors: Dr. Pasqua Anna Quitadamo and Prof. Dr. Luigi Corvaglia
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 March 2025
2nd Edition: Pregnancy and Perinatal Health
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Claude Billeaud and Dr. Virginie Rigourd
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024
Nutritional Management of Newborn Infants
Guest Editor: Dr. Maria Skouroliakou
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 27 November 2024
Pregnancy, Childbirth, Puerperium, Breastfeeding and Sexuality in the World of Rare Diseases
Guest Editors: Dr. Juan Carlos Sánchez-García, Dr. Raquel Rodríguez-Blanque and Dr. Jonathan Cortés Martín
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024