36th Annual Iowa Breastfeeding Conference



36th Annual Iowa Breastfeeding Conference

Dates

Wednesday, May 13 & Thursday, May 14, 2026

Location

FFA Enrichment Center

DMACC Ankeny Campus

1055 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy

Ankeny, IA 50023

• Traffic can be very busy in the mornings in this area, so we suggest leaving early/giving yourself plenty of time to reach the conference venue.
• Conference center is large and temperature control can be difficult. We recommend dressing in layers or bringing a sweater/jacket for your comfort.

Intended Audience

Physicians, NPs, nurses, dietitians, lactation consultants, peer counselors, breastfeeding advocates and other healthcare professionals working with breastfeeding families.

Purpose

To enable the healthcare team to provide evidence-based care, education and support to breastfeeding families.

Agenda TBD

Featured National Speakers

Katrina B. Mitchell, MD, IBCLC, PMH-C is a breast surgeon, lactation consultant, and perinatal mental health provider.  She has authored over 50 academic manuscripts and multiple book chapters on lactation and the intersection of breast cancer and breastfeeding.  She lectures in the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia.  She is the creator of the Physician Guide to Breastfeeding, an evidence-based website for breastfeeding families and the communities that support them. She is the author of the forthcoming book, Go with the Flow:  The Definitive, No-Nonsense Physician Guide to Breastfeeding, expected August 2026 with the Simon and Schuster publishing house.

Joy MacTavish, MA, IBCLC, RLC is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and certified Holistic Sleep Coach focusing on the intersections of infant feeding, sleep, and family well-being. Through her business, Sound Beginnings, she provides compassionate and evidence-based support to families in the greater Seattle area, and virtually everywhere else. She entered the perinatal field in 2007 as birth and postpartum doula, and childbirth and parenting educator. Joy holds a Master of Arts in Cultural Studies, graduate certificate in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, and two Bachelor's degrees from the University of Washington. She enjoys combining her academic background, analytical skills, and passion for social justice into her personal and professional endeavors. When not working or learning, she can be found homeschooling, building LEGO with her children, or dreaming up her next big adventure.  

Local Speakers

Dr. Tope Awelewa is a board-certified general pediatrician, an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant and a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Iowa. She started her crusade for breastfeeding promotion during her residency training in New York where she established a quality improvement project on breastfeeding education for residents. She completed a chief resident year in New York before starting at the University of Iowa in 2015. She obtained additional breastfeeding certification as the first Iowa physician to be in the inaugural group of North America Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine Board certified physicians in 2023. She serves on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Breastfeeding Executive Committee and in her eighth year as the Iowa Chapter Breastfeeding Coordinator/Champion. She was recently appointed to serve as the Chief of AAP Chapter Breastfeeding Coordinators in 2025.  

Kirby Nelson is a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner serving adult patients experiencing mental health symptoms impacting their daily functioning. Kirby believes in a holistic, patient centered approach to psychiatric care and utilizes evidence-based pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment modalities. Kirby's area of expertise is reproductive and perinatal psychiatry and enjoys working alongside child-bearing individuals to improve their mental health and overall well being. Kirby completed her doctoral degree through the University of Minnesota School of Nursing in 2015 and has provided care in primary care clinics and traditional mental health settings in Oregon, Iowa, and Minnesota. She has also received her certification in perinatal mental health and sits on the Iowa Chapter Board of Postpartum Support International.

Continuing Education

Full attendance is required to receive continuing education.

CERPs allocated by IBLCE: TBD

Iowa Breastfeeding Conference awards CPEUs in accordance with the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s CPEU Prior Approval Program: TBD

Nursing CEUs UnityPoint Health – Des Moines: TBD

UnityPoint Health – Des Moines is accredited by the Iowa Medical Society to provide continuing medical education for physicians: TBD

Registration

Deadline to register is Monday, May 11

• American Express cards are not accepted
• No refunds

Dietary Requests

We will do our best to accommodate specific dietary requirements that are noted at registration. Please note that we are accommodating food allergies and sensitivities, not preferences. If you have a severe medical need, you are welcome to bring your own food and drink to avoid any issues that may arise.

Infants Attending Conference

Mothers may bring babies less than 6 months of age into sessions. Due to the professional nature of the conference, most mothers find it easiest to bring a support person along to provide baby care outside of the meeting room. Please respect the learning needs of other participants and care for your baby outside the meeting room if needed. A nursing room will be available on site.

Hotel Accommodations

We have reserved a block of rooms under Iowa Breastfeeding Conference at the following locations:

The Residence Inn by Marriott

1515 SW Main St.

Ankeny, IA 50023

P 515-446-7300

Click here to book!

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

2502 SE Husizer Rd.

Ankeny, IA 50021

P 515-965-2400

Tru by Hilton

1230 SW District Dr

Ankeny, IA 50023

P 515-644-1200

Photos

Your registration gives us consent to take photos at the conference. Photos may be used on our website or at future conferences.

Contact

Please contact Talia Greve at talia.greve@unitypoint.org or 515-241-3537 with any questions regarding registration or conference details.