- Clinical Associate Professor, Director of Pathways to Nursing Program
- College of Nursing
- Phone: 401.874.5327
- Email: dditomasso@uri.edu
- Office Location: RI NEC Room 232, 350 Eddy St., Providence, RI, 02905
Biography
Dr. Diane DiTomasso is a clinical associate professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Rhode Island. She teaches family health and is the director of the Pathways to Nursing Program. In 2024, Dr. DiTomasso was inducted as a fellow in the Associate of Women’s Health & Neonatal Nursing.
DiTomasso has more than 35 years of experience in the field of women’s health, and has worked as an obstetrical nurse, lactation consultant, and educator. Her research focuses on breastfeeding, infant weight changes, and human milk expression. Her work has been widely published, and her research has earned awards from the International Lactation Consultant Association, the Association of Women’s Health and Neonatal Nursing, and the Eastern Nurses Research Association.
DiTomasso is an internationally board-certified lactation consultant and speaks regularly at national and international breastfeeding conferences. She owns and operates Lactation Services Rhode Island, and provides in-home lactation care to women throughout the state. She is passionate about supporting new families, especially in the early weeks and months following birth.
Research
Human lactation; infant weight loss and growth; human milk expression
Education
PhD, Nursing, University of Rhode Island
MS, Nursing, University of Rhode Island
BS, Nursing, University of Rhode Island
Diploma, Newport Hospital School of Nursing
Selected Publications
DiTomasso, D., & Quigley, A. (2023). Implementation of a loaner scale program to monitor infant weight and enhance lactation care. J Hum Lact, 39(3), 495-499. https://doi.org/10.1177/08903344231160704
Owens, B. & DiTomasso, D. (2023). Interventions supporting breastfeeding military women: A systematic review. Military Medicine, usad128, https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usad128
DiTomasso, D. (2023). Chapter 14, Breastfeeding. In B. Baker & J. Janke (Eds.), Core Curriculum for Maternal-Newborn Nursing (pp. 200-212). Elsevier.
DiTomasso, D., Wambach, K. Roberts, M., Erickson-Owens, D. Quigley, A., & Newbury, J. (2022). Maternal worry about infant weight and its influence on artificial milk supplementation and breastfeeding cessation. Journal of Human Lactation, 0, 00: 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/08903344211000284
Bartels, R., DiTomasso, D., & Macht, G. (2020) A mother-centered evaluation of breast pumps. Applied Ergonomics. 88:103123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2020.103123
DiTomasso, D. & Cloud, M. (2019). A systematic review of expected weight changes in full-term breastfed newborns after birth. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 48(6), 593–603. htttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2019.09.004
DiTomasso D. (2019). Neonatal weight changes. Meaning, determinants and clinical implications. Lactation & Breastfeeding, 2(32): 4-11.
DiTomasso, D. (2019). Bearing the pain: a historic review exploring the impact of science and culture on pain management for childbirth in the United States. Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing, 0, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1097/JPN.0000000000000407
DiTomasso, D. & Ferszt, G. (2018). Mothers’ thoughts and feelings about use of a pediatric sale in the home to monitor weight changes in breast fed newborns. Nursing for Women’s Health, 22 (6), 463-470. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nwh.2018.10.004
DiTomasso, D., Roberts, M., & Parker Cotton, B. (2018). Post-partum mothers’ experiences with newborn weight checks in the home. Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing, 32(4), 333-340. https://doi.org/10.1097/JPN.0000000000000367
DiTomasso, D. & Paiva, A. (2018B). Reply to: “Does pronounced birth weight loss indicate breastfeeding failure?” Journal of Human Lactation, 40(2), 140. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334417745023
DiTomasso, D. & Paiva, A. (2018A). Neonatal weight matters: An examination of weight changes in full-term breastfeeding newborns during the first two weeks of life. Journal of Human Lactation, 34(1), 86-92. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334417722508
Nursing workforce diversity. (2023). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 52(4), e5-e9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2023.04.004 (contributing author).
Academic preparation for registered nurses. (2021). Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 50(4), p. 496-498. Position Statement: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2021.04.001 (contributing author).