The WV Breastfeeding Alliance

www.wvbfa.com

Our Mission:

To improve the health of West Virginians by working collaboratively to protect, promote, and educate our community about breastfeeding.

• WV Perinatal Partnership • The West Virginia Hospital Association• The Healthcare Education Foundation

of West Virginia

Importance of Breastfeeding

Health Implications for Babies

feeding ABM to babies increases risk of:• Obesity • Ear infections• Respiratory infections• Gastrointestinal infections• Skin conditions• Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes• Leukemia• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

AAP 2005

Breastfeeding Moms • Mothers who breastfeed are at a lower risk of:

– Premenopausal breast cancer– Ovarian cancer– Osteoporosis– Rheumatoid arthritis– Postpartum depression– Type 2 diabetes

Office of Women’s Health

The State of Breastfeeding

WV vs. US Breastfeeding RatesEver Breastfeed

53.0% 75.0%Breastfeeding at 6 months

25.9% 43.0%Breastfeeding at 12 months

12.5% 22.4%Exclusively breastfeeding at 3 months

18.3% 33.0%Exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months

7.0% 13.3%Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Breastfeeding Report Card, 2007 Births; 2010 report

Why WV rates are low• Breastfeeding is not seen as the social norm• Cultural and societal barriers and biases exist• Lack of policies & practices to support breastfeeding in public,

workplaces and in the medical community

Maternity Care Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care : mPINC

• Nationwide survey administered by the CDC in 2007 and 2009, then every 2 years. 7 sections/52 questions.• All hospitals and birth centers in US were invited to participate. To be completed by person most knowledgeable about the issues.• 84% of the 32 eligible hospitals and birth centers in WV responded• Each of those received their facility-specific benchmarks in October 2008, 2009 benchmarks to be released in summer 2011. • http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/mPINC/states/West_Virginia.pdf

CDC, 2007 - 2009

Summary Highest possible score:100WV rankPlans underway to conduct the survey again in 2011

WV mPINC Score

55

Changes in Maternity Care Practices Improve Breastfeeding Rates

2006 National Immunization Survey7 states had less than 30% of children breastfed for 6 monthsAlabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and West VirginiaSame 7 states with the lowest 2007 mPINC scores (48-58)

What are we doing to address this?

• Certified Lactation Specialist Trainings• Nov. ‘08 (76) May ‘09 (51) Dec. ‘10 (53)

• Breastfeeding Symposium – June 2010• “Road Show”

Pathways to Improve Maternity Care Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care

• Project funded by DHHS/Office on Women’s Health• Develop and pilot a 4-hour Breastfeeding Basics “Road

Show” course to take to hospitals• Expert Advisory Panel established to develop project• Faculty: Mary Boyd, MD, Pres. WV Chapter AAP;

Susan Fabry, C-PNP, Huntington Pediatrics; Cinny Kittle, MS, WVHA, Project Director WVBA; Christine Compton, CLS, Project Manager WVBA.

Pilot sites

• CAMC/Women’s and Children’s Hospital• Greenbrier Valley Medical Center• Camden Clark Medical Center• Also conducting 1 regional course with St.

Joseph’s Hospital, Stonewall Jackson Hospital and Davis Memorial Hospital at WV Wesleyan College

5 Breastfeeding Supportivehospital practices:

Initiate breastfeeding 1st hour after delivery

Avoid other fluids & solids unless medically necessary

Promote 24-hour Rooming-in

No bottles or pacifiers while infant is in hospital

Provide moms with contact information for where to call for help after discharge

The Joint Commission

Revised Perinatal Care Core Measure Set– Now includes “exclusive feeding of breastmilk at

discharge”– Online resources www.thejointcommission.com

USBC online implementation toolkit www.usbreastfeeding.org

http://www.usbreastfeeding.org/HealthCareSystem/HospitalMaternityCenterPractices/ToolkitImplementingTJCCoreMeasure/tabid/184/Default.aspx

Worksites

• DOL regulations• WVBA mini-grants to worksites• Business Case For Breastfeeding project

National Attention to B/F

• First Lady’s Let’s Move• US Breastfeeding Protection Act• IRS accepts breastfeeding supplies as

allowable medical expenses (i.e. breast pumps)

• DOL regulations