Do consumer infant feeding publications and products available in physicians' offices protect, promote, and support breastfeeding?

Educational Objectives and Skills for the Physician with Respect to Breastfeeding, Revised 2018

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine is a worldwide organization of physicians dedicated to the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding and human lactation. Our mission is to unite into one association members of the various medical specialties with this common purpose.

Compliance with the International Code of Marketing of breast-milk substitutes: an observational study of pediatricians' waiting rooms

Abstract The importance of breastmilk as a primary preventative intervention is widely known and understood by most healthcare providers. The actions or non-actions that heathcare providers take toward promoting and supporting breastfeeding families make a difference in the success and duration of breastfeeding. Recognizing this relationship, the World Health Organization developed the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (the Code), which defines best practices in breastfeeding promotion, including physicians' offices. The pediatric practices' waiting rooms are often a family's first experience with pediatric care. The specific aims of this study were to describe (1) Code compliance, (2) the demographic factors affecting the Code compliance, and (3) the amount and type of breastfeeding-supportive materials available in the pediatricians' waiting rooms. An observational cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 163 (82%) of the pediatric practices in Maricopa County, Arizona. None of the 100 waiting rooms that had any materials displayed (61%) was found to be completely Code compliant, with 81 of the offices having formula-promotional materials readily available. Waiting rooms in higher income areas offered more non-Code-compliant materials and gifts. Breastfeeding support information and materials were lacking in all but 18 (18%) offices. A positive relationship (t97=-2.31, p=0.02) occurred between the presence of breastfeeding educational materials and higher income areas. We were able to uncover some practice-related patterns that impact families and potentially undermine breastfeeding success. To move current practices toward breastfeeding-friendly physicians' offices, change is needed.

Interaction of factors related to lactation duration

Perceived social support and interpersonal dependency were studied as potential factors associated with lactation duration based upon previous breastfeeding experience. Inexperienced breastfeeding mothers perceived more social support than experienced breastfeeding mothers did. Perceived social support was not significantly correlated with lactation duration. An ancillary finding was that women providing a combination of breast milk and human milk substitutes had significantly lower social self-confidence than did mothers providing breast milk exclusively.

Sources of infant feeding information used by pregnant women

Selecting an infant feeding method is one of the most important decisions a mother-to-be makes. Little information is available to characterize women who plan to use both formula and breast milk. In this study, 89 pregnant women indicated their anticipated feeding method and the sources and initiator of infant feeding information. No differences were found in the type of resources used by women who planned to breastfeed, formula feed, or combination feed. Women in the study were four times more likely to initiate a conversation about infant feeding methods with a family member or friend than with a health care provider. Involving these key individuals in perinatal education classes and support programs is a simple, but powerful, strategy that childbirth educators can use to promote breastfeeding.

Educational objectives and skills for the physician with respect to breastfeeding

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine is a worldwide organization of physicians dedicated to the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding and human lactation. Our mission is to unite into one association members of the various medical specialties with this common purpose.

What is the problem with breast-feeding? A qualitative analysis of infant feeding perceptions

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Breast-feeding rates are low in Northern Ireland (NI) compared with other regions of Europe. The aim of this study has therefore been to define and explore factors determining infant feeding decisions with a view to the planning of future research and intervention needs.

METHOD

Participants were approached at convenience from the throughput of women attending a large teaching hospital antenatal clinic to take part in focus group discussion.

RESULTS

Dominant themes indicated that the main barriers to breast-feeding are restricted freedom and independence associated with family issues, return to work, societal embarrassment and perceived social isolation. The dialogue suggested that breast-feeding leads to inability to carry out everyday activities and social exclusion.

CONCLUSIONS

Incompatible social norms make it difficult for mothers to breast-feed successfully. This implies that future promotional efforts should take a societal approach.

Improving breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and practices of WIC clinic staff

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to assess the impact of a breastfeeding promotion clinic environment project implemented by the state of Mississippi on breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and practices of WIC clinic staff.

METHODS

Thirteen pairs of matched intervention and comparison WIC clinics participated in the study. Clinical and administrative staff completed pre-test and post-test self-administered questionnaires in 1998 and 1999.

RESULTS

A total of 397 staff members provided pre-test data, and 277 staff members provided post-test data. Before project implementation, the intervention and comparison groups were similar overall. The majority of staff had positive attitudes/beliefs about breastfeeding, but gaps in knowledge and practices were noted. Post-test data showed that the project improved knowledge, attitudes/beliefs, and confidence/practice of intervention clinic staff.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinic environment projects, which combine physical improvements and staff training, are effective in promoting support for breastfeeding among public health clinic staff. Similar interventions may contribute to the overall effectiveness of breastfeeding promotion programs.

Breastfeeding

A large and growing body of scientific evidence suggests that breastfeeding provides immediate and long-lasting health advantages for the mother and her infant. In the United States, breastfeeding rates currently are the highest recorded in 30 years, although premature weaning owing to the largely avoidable problems of breast pain and concern about adequate milk supply is still common. The advantages of breastfeeding will be more widely appreciated when all health care professionals acquire competence in evidence-based lactation management strategies. These strategies include helping women to position and attach their newborns correctly, encouraging frequent and effective feedings at the breast from birth onward, teaching new parents the signs of adequate milk intake, and providing the resources for promoting breastfeeding without the competition of commercial product promotion.