Next week is World Breastfeeding Week (WBW). Lane County Friends of the Birth Center will join communities from more than 120 nations to encourage increased understanding and the adoption of evidence-based breastfeeding support systems for women, families and communities.
WBW 2010 commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Innocenti Declaration by WHO and UNICEF to protect, promote and support breastfeeding through implementation of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative’s “Ten Steps” in facilities providing maternity care. “Ten Steps” is a comprehensive evidence-based pathway to support women and guide healthcare facilities in the provision of sound breastfeeding care.
Please celebrate WBW 2010 with LaneCoFBC by visiting our blog every day from August 2 through 6 to read and comment on a series of special posts devoted to promoting increased access to Baby Friendly-designated facilities in Lane County. Visitors to our blog will be treated to the unique perspectives offered by an elected leader, families, a former Lane County provider and an innovator in bringing breastfeeding care that works to local families.
Here’s our blog line up:
Monday: guest post by United States Sen. Jeff Merkley
Sen. Merkley, a long-time advocate for breastfeeding families, recently authored the 2010 health care provision providing nursing moms with break times and a private place to pump milk in the workplace.
Tuesday: Birth Center families’ perspectives
Read what families have to say about accessing lactation services in a Baby Friendly facility – the PeaceHealth Nurse Midwifery Birth Center. LaneCoFBC will invite more families to share their perspectives via an online survey. Findings will be shared with local healthcare facilities and community leaders.
Read what families have to say about accessing lactation services in a Baby Friendly facility – the PeaceHealth Nurse Midwifery Birth Center. LaneCoFBC will invite more families to share their perspectives via an online survey. Findings will be shared with local healthcare facilities and community leaders.
Wednesday: Janie Akerlund, RN, IBCLC
Janie Akerlund reflects on more than two decades of experience working as a nurse and lactation consultant at the PeaceHealth Nurse Midwifery Birth Center. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Immunology at UC Denver/National Jewish Health Hospital.
Thursday: Desiree Nelson, RN, IBCLC
Desiree Nelson tells us about Baby Connection, an innovative approach to bringing evidence-based drop-in breastfeeding services to Lane County.
Friday: Wrap up
LaneCoFBC offers a concluding post.
Background
World Breastfeeding Week 2010
WBW 2010 commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Innocenti Declaration by WHO and UNICEF to protect, promote and support breastfeeding through implementation of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative’s “Ten Steps” in maternity facilities. Ten Steps provides a comprehensive evidence-based pathway to support women and guide healthcare facilities in the provision of sound breastfeeding care.
Ten-Step facilities are referred to as “Baby Friendly.” These facilities ensure all women receive comprehensive evidence-based service. They have codified policies requiring that all staff who are in contact with mothers be trained to assist and assess breastfeeding. Assessing can mean knowing when to call in a lactation consultant. Women and their support network learn about breastfeeding during pregnancy, receive 24-hour lactation support after discharge and access to on-going, non-emergent expert and peer support throughout the first year postpartum.
Local context
There are four Baby Friendly facilities in Oregon, one of which is the PeaceHealth Nurse Midwifery Birth Center. As the fortunate recipients of Baby Friendly care, Friends of the Birth Center members know firsthand the role it plays in establishing and maintaining breastfeeding. We regularly credit this care for providing the accessible expertise and peer support necessary for learning to breastfeed with confidence, especially as we resume work beyond newborn care. Because of our unique experience, we are committed to supporting local efforts to make Baby Friendly care baseline for all Lane County women and families.
The Center for Disease Control recently surveyed all birthing facilities about their level of breastfeeding support through the 2007 CDC National Survey of Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC). Click here to view the CDC report for Oregon.
National context
Consistent with Healthy People 2020’s national breastfeeding objectives and the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity’s new recommendations for evidence based lactation services, Baby Friendly care is associated with national as well as state and local goals for facilitating higher rates of breastfeeding exclusivity for longer periods of time. (See a recent study here.) Baby Friendly is also consistent with the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Hospitals Organization (JCAHO) new monitoring of breastfeeding exclusivity outcomes at discharge as a part of their periodic hospital assessment.
Moving forward
The WBW’s 2010 theme coincides with a unique window of opportunity here in Lane County. Oregon WIC recently dedicated federal funds for the express purpose of supporting the healthcare system, specifically hospitals, to provide evidence-based breastfeeding services to women and newborns. Hospital practices are the focus for this funding. Learn more here.
