The interrelationship between infant feeding and perinatal mental health
Perinatal and parent infant mental health lecture series (CPD90)
Our perinatal and parent infant mental health lecture series (CPD90) offers the opportunity to hear from a range of speakers, each experts in their field, as they share clinical insights, experience and research in perinatal and parent-infant mental health.
In this lecture, taking place on Tuesday 15 July, Smita Hanciles will present on the interrelationship between infant feeding and perinatal mental health.
The online lecture is delivered on Zoom and will include a presentation and interactive Q&A session. A CPD certificate will be provided to evidence attendance, and a recording of the lecture will be made available to all registrants.
About this lecture
The interrelationship between infant feeding and perinatal mental health
Event date and time
Tuesday 15 July, 12 to 1.30pm (BST)
Speaker
Smita Hanciles – Deputy Programme Director of UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Team
Synposis
There are complex relationships between infant feeding and perinatal mental health. When a mother wants to breastfeed and it is going well, this can be protective of mothers’ and babies’ mental health. However, challenges around feeding can be a trigger for mental health problems. Sometimes breastfeeding can trigger strong reactions even in those who want to breastfeed in the case of D-MER (Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex) and Breastfeeding Aversion both of which can sometimes be mistaken for depression.
Drawing on case studies, this talk will explore the extent to which breastfeeding and infant feeding support plays a role in supporting mental health and emotional wellbeing and the benefits of an inter-professional approach.
There will be some video material shown with permission from the patient.
This lecture will be recorded, and a recording will be sent to registrants.
About this speaker
Smita Hanciles is the Deputy Programme Director leading on education in the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly team. She has previously held roles as an infant feeding Lead implementing Baby Friendly standards in Health Visiting and Early Years services. She played a key role in the development of the Perinatal Mental Health Competency Framework for Infant Feeding professionals and has developed and delivered Infant feeding training for those working in perinatal and infant mental health teams.
Who is this lecture for?
Our perinatal mental health lectures are suitable for a wide range of practitioners who work with women, birthing people, their babies and families during the perinatal period, as well as those who are interested in working in, or finding out more about, perinatal and parent-infant mental health.
For example, you may be working as a:
- children’s centre and early years’ practitioner
- family support worker
- family hubs worker
- health visitor or health visitor assistant
- charity practitioner or volunteer
- midwife or midwife assistant
- talking therapies practitioner
- obstetrician
- GP
- social worker
- occupational therapist
nurse - neonatology practitioner
- psychiatrist
- peer support worker
- nursery nurse
- CAMHS practitioner or 0-5 practitioner
Book your place
You can book a place on a lecture in this series using our MyTAP booking system. Each lecture costs £30 and is booked separately on MyTap via the button link below. If you are looking to commission five or more places on this lecture for your organisation or service, please contact us at CPDevents@tavi-port.ac.uk.
You will receive confirmation by email, and we will be in touch approximately one week before each lecture with detailed joining instructions.
Should you have any concerns about the accessibility of remote delivery please contact us at CPDEvents@tavi-port.ac.uk to discuss how we can best help you.
Upcoming lectures
21 October 2025
Speaker: Monika Celebi
18 November 2025
Speaker: Natasha Baker
Topic: Supporting infant feeding in women with severe mental illness