Kristin Elgersma, PhD, DM, MN, RN

Dr. Elgersma's research centers on human milk feeding and breast/chestfeeding for infants with critical congenital heart disease (CHD). Her work has been among the first to implement machine learning techniques and methods for causal inference in CHD nutrition research, and she is currently focused on developing personalizable, human milk/breastfeeding-based interventions that can improve the growth and neurodevelopment of these vulnerable infants. Dr. Elgersma transitioned from an academic career as a pianist into nursing research due to her own experience as a parent of a child born with critical CHD.

Research areas include:

• Understanding optimal human milk and direct breast/chestfeeding practices for infants with CHD.
• Applying rigorous statistical and analytical methods to CHD nutrition research.
• Examining relationships between infant nutrition, body composition (growth quality), and neurodevelopment in the context of CHD.
• Leveraging large, multisite data collaboratives for CHD nutrition research.

Dr. Elgersma has more than 20 years of teaching experience in her previous academic music career. During this time, she developed innovative curricula and established a thriving university/community program partnership to provide practical learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Her mentees have secured competitive internships, graduate school placements, and job opportunities. Dr. Elgersma views teaching as an opportunity to work and learn alongside students as they clarify their career goals, and to co-create individualized, interdisciplinary experiences that will help them be well-prepared to move toward their goals.

Elgersma, K. M., Engel, M. L., Ramel, S. E., Davis, J. A., McKechnie, A. C., & Pfister, K. M. (2024). Human Milk, Breastfeeding, and Early Neurodevelopmental Outcomes for Infants with Critical CHD. Cardiology in the Young, 1–9. doi:10.1017/S1047951124025228

Elgersma, K., McKechnie, A., Sommerness, S., Tanner, L., & Swanson, N. (2023). Wayfinding through the “ocean of the great unknown”: How lactating parents establish a direct breastfeeding relationship with an infant with critical CHD. Cardiology in the Young, 33(10), 2000-2011. doi:10.1017/S1047951122003808

Elgersma, K. M., Wolfson, J., Fulkerson, J. A., Georgieff, M. K., Looman, W. S., Spatz, D. L., Shah, K. M., Uzark, K., McKechnie, A. C. (In press). Human milk feeding and direct breastfeeding improve outcomes for infants with single ventricle congenital heart disease: Propensity score matched analysis of the NPC-QIC registry. JAHA. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.123.030756

Elgersma, K. M., Wolfson, J., Fulkerson, J. A., Georgieff, M. K., Looman, W. S., Spatz, D. L., Shah, K. M., Uzark, K., McKechnie, A. C. (2023). Predictors of human milk feeding and direct breastfeeding for infants with single ventricle congenital heart disease: Machine learning analysis of the NPC-QIC registry. The Journal of Pediatrics, 261, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113562

Elgersma, K. M., Spatz, D. L., Fulkerson, J. A., Wolfson, J., Georgieff, M. K., Looman, W. S., Shah, K. M., Uzark, K., McKechnie, A. C. (2023). Patterns of breastfeeding and human milk feeding in infants with single ventricle congenital heart disease: A population study of the NPC-QIC registry. Breastfeeding Medicine, 18(4), 315-325. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2023.0036

Nagel, E. M., Elgersma, K. M., Gallagher, T. T., Johnson, K. E., Demerath, E. W., Gale, C. A. (In press). Importance of human milk for infants in the clinical setting: Updates and mechanistic links. Nutrition in Clinical Practice. https://doi.org/10.1002/ncp.11037

Elgersma, K. M., Trebilcock, A. L., Whipple, M. O., Tanner, L. R., Pilditch, S. J., Shah, K. M., & McKechnie, A. C. (2023). Risk factors for tube feeding at discharge in infants undergoing neonatal surgery for congenital heart disease: A systematic review. Pediatric Cardiology, 44, 769–794. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-022-03049-x

Swanson, N. M., Elgersma, K. M., McKechnie, A. C., McPherson, P. L., Bergeron, M. J., Sommerness, S. A., Friedrich, C. L., & Spatz, D. L. (2023). Encourage, Assess, Transition (EAT): A quality improvement project implementing a direct breastfeeding protocol for preterm hospitalized infants. Advances in Neonatal Care, 23(2), 107–119. https://doi.org/10.1097/ANC.0000000000001037

Elgersma, K. M., Martin, C. L., Friend, S., Lee, J., Horning, M. L., & Fulkerson, J. A. (2023). Food insecurity and parent feeding practices in urban and rural children aged 7–12 years. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 55(2), 105–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2022.08.014

Elgersma, K. M., McKechnie, A. C., Sommerness, S. A., Tanner, L. R., & Swanson, N. M. (2022). Wayfinding through the “ocean of the great unknown”: How lactating parents establish a direct breastfeeding relationship with an infant with critical CHD. Cardiology in the Young. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1047951122003808 

Elgersma, K. M., McKechnie, A. C., Schorr, E. N., Shah, K. M., Trebilcock, A. L., Ramel, S. E., Ambrose, M. B., Swanson, N. M., Sommerness, S. A., & Spatz, D. L. (2022). The impact of human milk on outcomes for infants with congenital heart disease: A systematic review. Breastfeeding Medicine, 17(5), 393–411. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2021.0334

Elgersma, K. M., McKechnie, A. C., Gallagher, T., Trebilcock, A. L., Pridham, K. F., & Spatz, D. L. (2021). Feeding infants with complex congenital heart disease: A modified Delphi survey to examine potential research and practice gaps. Cardiology in the Young, 31(4), 577–588. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1047951120004370

Selected Presentations

Elgersma, K. M., Engel, M. L., Ramel, S. E., Davis, J. A., McKechnie, A. C., & Pfister, K. M. (2024). Human Milk, Breastfeeding, and Early Neurodevelopmental Outcomes for Infants with Critical CHD. Cardiology in the Young, 1–9. doi:10.1017/S1047951124025228

Elgersma, K. M., Wolfson, J., Fulkerson, J. A., Georgieff, M. K., Spatz, D. L., Shah, K. M., Uzark, K., McKechnie, A. C. (2023, August). Human milk feeding and direct breastfeeding improve outcomes for infants with single ventricle congenital heart disease: Propensity score matched analysis of the NPC-QIC registry. [Oral presentation]. 8th World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Washington, DC, United States.

McKechnie, A. C., Elgersma, K. M., Iwaszko, T., Trebilcock, A. L., Damico, J., Sosa, A., Ambrose, M. B., Shah, K. M., Sanchez Mejia, A. A., Pridham, K. F. (2023, August). An mHealth, patient engagement approach to understand and address parents’ mental health and caregiving needs after prenatal diagnosis of critical congenital heart disease. [Poster presentation]. 8th World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Washington, DC, United States.

McKechnie, A. C., Elgersma, K. M., Ambrose, M. B., Sanchez Mejia, A. A., Shah, K. M., Trebilcock, A., Iwaszko Wagner, T., Hallock, C. (2023, May). Nurse-guided mobile health care program to reduce emotional distress experienced by parents of infants prenatally diagnosed with critical congenital heart disease: A pilot study. [Poster presentation] Accelerating Solutions to Improve Maternal Health Workshop (NHLBI sponsored). Bethesda, MD, United States. 

Elgersma, K. M., Wolfson, J., Fulkerson, J. A., Georgieff, M. K., Spatz, D. L., Shah, K. M., Uzark, K., McKechnie, A. C. (2023, April). Predictors of human milk feeding and direct breastfeeding for infants with single ventricle congenital heart disease: Machine learning analysis of the National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative registry. [Oral presentation]. Pediatric Academic Societies 2023, Washington, DC, United States.  

Elgersma, K. M., Spatz, D. L., Fulkerson, J. A., Wolfson, J., Shah, K. M., Uzark, K., McKechnie, A. C. (2022, December). Early breastfeeding is associated with increased odds of later human milk feeding for infants with single ventricle congenital heart disease: Analysis of the NPC-QIC registry [Poster presentation]. Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society Annual International Meeting, Miami, FL, United States.  

Elgersma, K. M., McKechnie, A. C., Sommerness, S. A., Tanner, L. R., & Swanson, N. M. (2022, October). Wayfinding through the “ocean of the great unknown”: How lactating parents establish a direct breastfeeding relationship with an infant with critical congenital heart disease [Poster presentation]. International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation 21st Biennial Conference, Panama City, Panama. 

Elgersma, K. M., McKechnie, A. C., Gallagher, T., Trebilcock, A. L., Pridham, K. F., Spatz D. L. (2021, March). Feeding infants with complex congenital heart disease: A Delphi survey to examine potential research and practice gaps [Poster presentation]. Midwest Nursing Research Society 2021 Annual Research Conference, Des Moines, IA, United States (virtual due to COVID-19).
McKechnie, A. C., Erickson, K., Elgersma, K. M., Ambrose, M. B. (2020, March). Meeting the needs of parents in the context of fetal/infant heart disease: Developing and testing a patient engagement approach, and lessons learned [Oral presentation]. GetConnected 2020, Washington, D. C., United States.

Human milk and direct breastfeeding for infants with single ventricle congenital heart disease: An analysis of prevalence, supportive and limiting factors, and impact on key outcomes
Principal Investigator: Elgersma, Kristin M
Sponsoring Organization: NIH National Institute of Nursing Research
Award Dates: 2022–2023

“They told me, ‘We never send babies home that are only breastfed’”: How parents achieve direct breastfeeding with their infants who were hospitalized for congenital heart disease
Principal Investigator: Elgersma, Kristin M
Sponsoring Organization: University of Minnesota School of Nursing Foundation
Award Dates: 2021–2022

Improving inclusivity of content, delivery, and testing of the Preparing Heart and Mind care program designed for families of infants prenatally diagnosed with complex congenital heart disease
Principal Investigator: Blazer, B., McKechnie, AC
Role: Co-Investigator
Sponsoring Organization: University of Minnesota Office of Discovery and Translation Translational Grant; NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences 
Award Dates: 2021–2022

Extending an eHealth enhanced care approach: Development of nurse-guided patient engagement content to support human milk feeding of infants with complex congenital heart disease
Principal Investigator: Blazer, B., McKechnie, AC
Role: Co-Investigator
Sponsoring Organization: University of Minnesota Office of Discovery and Translation Translational Grant; NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences 
Award Dates: 2019–2021