Hospitals Could be doing More to Implement Breastfeeding Friendly Policies and Practices

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Of the approximately four million babies born in the United States every year, only about 14 percent are born in Baby-Friendly hospitals,

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative established 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding in 1989, which were endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2009.  However, a recent study demonstrates that many hospitals still do not implement these 10 Steps.

Breastfeeding has numerous health benefits, including reduced childhood obesity, but many mothers face barriers to breastfeed. Maternal experiences during the birth hospitalization show that a hospital’s policies and practices affect a mother’s ability to establish and maintain breastfeeding.

In the six-year study, Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care, investigators compare hospitals’ maternity care policies and practices with recommended standards, and found that many hospitals are not implementing optimal breastfeeding friendly policies and practices. For example, it is important to limit fluids other than breast milk because non–breast milk fluids have been negatively associated with mothers meeting their own breastfeeding intentions. Latina mother’s specifically have high rates of not meeting their own breastfeeding intentions due to lack of hospital, workplace and family support. Unfortunately, the percentage of hospitals that limited the provision of other fluids increased by less than six percent to just over one-quarter of hospitals.

The Latino population is growing. Latinos accounted for 56% of the 91.7% growth in the US population from 2000-2010, and the fertility rate for Latinas is 2.4, compared to 1.8 for Whites. It is critical for hospitals to adopt evidence-based policies to ensure that the growing number of Latina mother’s have access to maternity care policies and practices supportive of breastfeeding.

Watching a VIDEO about achieving health equity in every community through breastfeeding support here.

Read Vital Signs: Improvements in Maternity Care Policies and Practices That Support Breastfeeding — United States, 2007–2013.