 |
|
|
|
|
|
Breastfeeding at the Navy Medical Center, San Diego Until 12 November 2002, breastfeeding assistance at Naval Medical Center was a heroic labor of love, done as a collateral duty by a volunteer network of nurses and a few physicians who took turns answering helpline phone calls and seeing inpatients; outpatient consults were available only one day a week.
In November, the Lactation Program officially stood up. Four full-time positions are filled by five lactation consultants (two LCs share one position.) Monday - Friday, at least two and usually three consultants are on the inpatient floor, with one consultant primarily designated to answer the helpline and see outpatients. Outpatient visits are a covered benefit, and most weekdays have at least two outpatient visits, often four or more. On the weekends, only one lactation consultant is on duty, and only urgent outpatient consults are done. We have a great group of consultants with a terrific variety of experience who provide a wonderful quality of care to our patients.
|
|
Cindy C. Fessier, RN Perinatal Care Network, Health and Human Services Agency, County of San Diego continues to promote breastfeeding by providing breastfeeding reference guides to new Comprehensive Perinatal Services Providers in San Diego County. These providers are committed to providing prenatal and post-partum care for Medi-Cal eligible women. The guides that are being distributed are La Leche League International's, The Breastfeeding Answer Book, and Thomas Hale's Medications and Mothers' Milk. On Festival of Health 2003 held April 5 (Saturday), at the Nazarene Church in Mid-City, the County and Mid-City Community Advocacy Network collaborated with the Breastfeeding Coalition and promoted breastfeeding. There were many types of health promotions present, but we were the only breastfeeding information and resource booth. Outreach was provided to over a hundred local families of different cultures and to at least 20 Point Loma Nazarene University Nursing Students.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Teresa Echegaray, RD, CLE The US Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health (OWH) has been funded to carry out the recommendations of the HHS Blueprint for Action on Breastfeeding into a National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign. The overall goal of the campaign is to increase the proportion of mothers who breastfeed their babies in the early postpartum period to 75% and those within 6 months postpartum to 50% by the year 2010. The campaign aims to empower women to commit to breastfeeding and to clearly illustrate the consequences of not breastfeeding. Besides trying to raise initiation rates, the campaign will also stress the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months. As a part of the National Breastfeeding Campaign, OWH will partner with the Ad Council to implement a comprehensive 3-year media campaign to be launched in August 2003. The media campaign will primarily target first time parents who would not normally breastfeed. The focus will be on the general market audience but because breastfeeding rates are lowest in the African American community, the campaign will also target African American women. State-of-the-art communication techniques will be employed through a variety of strategies such as public service announcements (television and radio), bus stop posters, billboards, educational pamphlets, and articles in magazines and community newspapers. Eighteen community-based demonstration projects (CDPs) throughout the US will work in coordination with the OWH and Ad Council to implement the campaign at the local level. Two of these CDPs are located in California, in Los Angeles and San Francisco. |
|
In preparation for the campaign, extensive research was conducted in Chicago, San Francisco, and New Orleans via a series of 36 focus groups. The research shed light on the fact that low breastfeeding rates are not necessarily due to a lack of awareness given that many of the participants appeared somewhat knowledgeable about the positive benefits of breastfeeding. A major contributing factor is that many see formula as the standard or the norm in feeding a baby or a young child. Breastfeeding is viewed as having "added benefits" or as "a better option." It is therefore not a matter of increasing awareness of breastfeeding; it is a matter of changing behaviors. The findings also demonstrated the need to clarify an attainable goal for duration and to create a sense of personal empowerment so mothers feel more comfortable and committed to breastfeeding their children. K What does this mean for healthcare professionals? The OWH encourages us to approach the press in our community and serve as spokespeople for the campaign and the importance of breastfeeding. The National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign will open opportunities for dialogue as women will be asking more questions of nurses and doctors. Patients can be directed to a new breastfeeding helpline and website to help mothers with common breastfeeding problems and challenges. La Leche League-trained Breastfeeding Information Specialists are available to answer emails and assist callers with a variety of issues. The number and website, 1-800-994-WOMAN (9662), TDD 1-888-220-5466, www.4woman.gov are available in English and Spanish and are open Monday through Friday from 9 am - 6 pm, EST. |
|
