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 Rates Ever Breastfeed 53.0% 75.0% 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 The survey contains 7 sections, 52 questions. Best score is 100. Each hospital is scored, these are then compiled into a state score and ranked on a national level.

55 WV mPINC Score Summary Highest possible score:100 WV rank Plans underway to conduct the survey again in 2011 WV mPINC Score 55

Changes in Maternity Care Practices Improve Breastfeeding Rates 2006 National Immunization Survey 7 states had less than 30% of children breastfed for 6 months Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and West Virginia Same 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 Supportive hospital 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