Healthcare Providers Make a Difference

Healthcare providers and maternity care facilities (i.e. hospitals) play a critical role in protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding.

In order to establish and maintain breastfeeding, women need education and support from a knowledgeable health care community.¹

Healthcare Related NEWS and INFORMATION:

New from Illinois! Hospital Breastfeeding Toolkit: This toolkit provides hospitals with in-depth guidance on planning, developing a policy, data collection and strategies for practice change!

AAP Expands Guidelines for Infant Sleep Safety and SIDS Risk Reduction

ILCA’s Position Paper on the Role and Impact of the IBCLC

HHS accepts IOM recommendations for preventative services including breastfeeding support, supplies and counseling

CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR): Vital Signs: Hospital Practices to Support Breastfeeding — United States, 2007 and 2009

The Joint Commission launched its “Speak Up: What you need to know about breastfeeding” campaign to support and prepare mothers for successful breastfeeding. The new brochure and materials cover preparation before baby arrives, at hospital, and after mom and baby return home.  For other patient education materials, click here.

IOM Releases Recommendations for Women’s Prevention Services- A summary of the IOM report is here; the full report is here.

Recommendation 5.6: Comprehensive lactation support and counseling and costs of renting breastfeeding equipment. A trained provider should provide counseling services to all pregnant women and to those in the postpartum period to ensure the successful initiation and duration of breastfeeding. (The ACA ensures that breastfeeding counseling is covered; however, the committee recognizes that interpretation of this varies.)

Pediatrics published a meta-analysis entitled “Breastfeeding and Reduced Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.”

WHO Growth Standards Are Recommended for Use in the U.S. for Infants and Children 0 to 2 Years of Age. Click here to read the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

© USBC 2011

© Addie Imseis/USBC 2010

1. (United States Breastfeeding Committee. Core Competencies in Breastfeeding Care and Services for All Health Professionals. Rev ed. Washington, DC: United States Breastfeeding Committee; 2010)