2027 conference speakers
Learn from experts in the field.

Chevelle Frederick

Beyond baby care: the art of compassionate client care

Exceptional newborn care is about far more than feeding, soothing and sleep. Newborn Care Specialists are invited into one of the most intimate, vulnerable and transformative seasons of a family's life. The way you communicate, connect and support parents can leave a lasting impression long after your contract ends.

This session explores the human side of newborn care: compassion, empathy, emotional intelligence and intentional communication. You will look at how to truly listen to families, understand what may be happening beneath the surface, validate without judgment, and give emotional support while keeping appropriate professional boundaries.

You will learn practical strategies for:

• Building trust
• Navigating difficult conversations
• Respecting different parenting philosophies
• Helping parents feel seen, heard, valued and cared for

Because exceptional newborn care is not only about caring for the baby. It is about caring for the whole family.

Tonya Sakowicz

Founder of Newborn Care Solutions.

AI, ethics and the modern newborn care professional

Artificial intelligence is changing the way professionals work, and newborn care is no exception. This session explores practical AI tools that can support NCSs and doulas with research, communication, business operations, organization and professional development.

It also looks closely at what AI cannot and should not do, especially individualized medical guidance, clinical decision-making, confidentiality and work outside your professional scope. You will learn how to:

• Recognize potential ethical concerns
• Protect client privacy
• Verify AI-generated information
• Keep appropriate professional boundaries

Most of all, you will leave with a framework for using AI as a tool that enhances your expertise, not one that replaces professional judgment, education or evidence-based care.

Laura Nance

PMAD awareness through the NCS lens

Newborn Care Specialists hold a unique role on the postpartum support team. Your main focus is the newborn, and your time with parents can range from significant to surprisingly limited. That makes recognizing and responding to perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) a different challenge.

This interactive session moves beyond memorizing signs and symptoms. It explores what awareness looks like in the actual role of an NCS:

• What might you notice when your main focus is the baby?
• What can you, and can you not, reasonably know from limited interactions?
• When does something call for a conversation, and how do you start one without diagnosing or stepping outside your scope?

Using realistic NCS scenarios, the session covers subtle signs in everyday interactions, changes that show over time, communicating concerns, involving partners or other support people when appropriate, making referrals, and recognizing situations that need immediate action.

The goal is not for an NCS to become a mental health professional or a postpartum doula. It is to recognize and respond appropriately when concerns arise, within the boundaries of the NCS role.

Christy Jo Hendricks

From hospital to home: ensuring a safe transition through lactation support and postpartum education

The move from hospital to home is one of the most critical and vulnerable periods for new families. Most mothers start breastfeeding in the hospital, yet many face challenges in the first few days, often without timely support.

This session gives lactation consultants, peer counselors and birth professionals practical, evidence-based strategies to support families after discharge. It is grounded in guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. You will learn how to prepare families with realistic expectations, effective feeding plans and clear follow-up.

The focus is the first 24 to 72 hours at home:

• Recognizing feeding challenges
• Assessing milk transfer
• Monitoring infant output
• Identifying maternal and infant warning signs

You will also gain tools to help establish milk supply and support maternal recovery and mental health. With more than half of pregnancy-related deaths occurring after birth, many of them preventable, the session shows how timely education, early intervention and compassionate support can improve outcomes and save lives.

Join us in Scottsdale

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