Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, Ph.D., IBCLC

about Kathleen Kendall-Tackett

Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and La Leche League Leader. She is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Texas Tech University School of Medicine in Amarillo, Texas, and Acquisitions Editor for Hale Publishing. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in Health and Trauma Psychology, Editor of the Family & Intimate Partner Violence Quarterly, and Associate Editor of Psychological Trauma. Dr. Kendall-Tackett specializes in synthesizing current research on breastfeeding and related fields, facilitating the provision of evidence-based care. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is currently analyzing data from the Survey of Mothers' Sleep and Fatigue. Her research interests include the psychoneuroimmunology of maternal depression and the lifetime health effects of trauma. Dr. Kendall-Tackett has authored more than 250 articles or chapters and is the author or editor of 20 books on maternal depression, family violence and breastfeeding. Her most recent books include: Depression in New Mothers, 2nd Edition (2010) Non-Pharmacologic Treatments for Depression in New Mothers (2008), The Psychoneuroimmunology of Chronic Disease (2010) Trauma & Physical Health (2009) and Writing for a General Audience (2007, American Psychological Assn). She is also co-author (with Nancy Mohrbacher) of Breastfeeding Made Simple (2005, New Harbinger). A full listing of her books is available at UppityScienceChick.com or BreastfeedingMadeSimple.com.

official bio

Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and La Leche League Leader. She is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Texas Tech University School of Medicine in Amarillo, Texas, and Acquistions Editor for Hale Publishing. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in the Divisions of Health and Trauma Psychology, Editor of Family & Intimate Partner Violence Quarterly, and Associate Editor of Psychological Trauma.

presentations

Kathleen Kendall-Tackett is pleased to provide presentations on the following topics to professional and parenting conferences. Presentations on other topics may be available upon request and subject to sufficient development lead-time. (For CERP topics, required paperwork will be provided promptly to meet CERP deadlines)

Breastfeeding and Survivors of Childhood Abuse
75 - 90 minutes
CERP

Can events from childhood influence a woman’s current mothering experience? Yes, they can. But they don’t have to be the blueprint for the rest of her life. This session provides an overview of the latest research on the effects of childhood abuse; its impact on breastfeeding; how it can affect a woman’s body, mind and spirit; and what she can do to cope. Note: A listing of books by Dr. Kendall-Tackett on family violence and childhood abuse is available at www.GraniteScientific.com. Most of these books are available for conference bookstores through Hale Publishing (www.ibreastfeeding.com).

Treatment Options for Depressed Breastfeeding Mothers
75 - 90 minutes
CERP

The negative effects of postpartum depression, on both mother and baby, are too serious to ignore. Fortunately, there are a number of treatments for depression with empirically demonstrated efficacy, including a wide range of non-pharmacologic treatments. Almost all are compatible with breastfeeding. This session summarizes research findings on omega-3s, exercise, bright light therapy, cognitive and interpersonal psychotherapy, St. John’s wort, and antidepressant medications. It also describes the implications of each for breastfeeding. Note: A new monograph, Non-Pharmacologic Treatments for Depression in New Mothers, is available through Hale Publishing (www.ibreastfeeding.com).

A New Paradigm for Depression in New Mothers
75 - 90 minutes
CERP

Recent research has revealed that depression is largely caused by increased inflammation, specifically by elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Psychological stress, trauma, pain, and sleep deprivation can all increase inflammation. But breastfeeding, which lowers stress, is mildly protective of maternal mood. Interestingly, all effective treatments for depression have recently been shown to be anti-inflammatory. These include exercise, Omega-3 fatty acids, St. John's wort, cognitive therapy and antidepressant medications. This presentation will describe this new research and discuss its implications for the mothers that we see. Note: A paper on this topic is available at www.InternationalBreastfeedingJournal.com. It is an open access paper and can be used in conference materials.

Sexual Trauma in the Lives of Childbearing Women
60 - 90 minutes
CERP

Approximately 1 in 5 women have a history of sexual assault, and this can affect their experiences of pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. To date, only two small studies have empirically examined the impact of sexual abuse/assault on breastfeeding. This presentation will include findings from the Survey of Mothers' Sleep and Fatigue. In this sample, 994 women identified themselves as sexual abuse or assault survivors. The survey included 253 detailed questions about their pregnancy, births and breastfeeding experiences. The survey also included data regarding their sleep and fatigue, overall health, and history of depression, PTSD, and anxiety disorders. These findings will be described and compared with women in the sample with no trauma history. This is the first study with a sample of abuse/assault survivors of this size and it offers an unprecendented look into these women's experiences. The clinical application of these findings will also be presented.

Breastfeeding Made Simple: Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers
75 - 90 minutes
CERP

Each year, hundreds of thousands of women initiate breastfeeding only to stop in the first few days or weeks postpartum. Why does this happen? It’s certainly not lack of information or lack of mothers’ interest in the topic. This attrition suggests that a different approach is needed. In this presentation, I describe the natural laws for nursing mothers that simplify breastfeeding and help mothers tap into their own innate wisdom. These laws are based on the latest research from around the world and will help you teach mothers more effectively so they can have a successful breastfeeding experience. Note: This presentation is based on the book, Breastfeeding Made Simple (co-authored with Nancy Mohrbacher). It is available through Hale Publishing (www.ibreastfeeding.com).

Nighttime Parenting and Postpartum Depression
60 - 90 minutes
CERP

Does nighttime breastfeeding elevate the risk of postpartum depression? There are an increasing number of books that tell mothers not to breastfeed at night in order to prevent depression. While this advice is well-intended, no one knows if it even works. And it can be quite problematic for breastfeeding mothers to maintain. Using data from the Survey of Mothers’ Sleep and Fatigue, a survey of 6,418 mothers from 60 countries, we examine the relationship between feeding method, where babies sleep and maternal fatigue. Preliminary analyses reveal that breastfeeding mothers report less fatigue than their formula-feeding or mixed-feeding counterparts. This presentation will also include an analysis of nighttime feedings, sleep deprivation, and depression, while accounting for other depression risk factors, such as trauma history, postpartum pain, and lack of support. All of these other factors can compromise sleep quality and increase daytime fatigue. The sample size allows us to determine the relative contribution of each and whether advising mothers to skip nighttime feedings is sound.