The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #44350

Marion McCartney, CNM, FACNM, American College of Nurse-Midwives, 818 Connecticut Ave. NW, #900, Washington, DC 20006, 202-728-9868, mmccartn@acnm.org

Although breastfeeding initiation rates for all women increased from 52% in 1990 to 64% in 1998, WIC women increased from only 34% to 53% during that same interval. Hispanic/Latino and African American women especially, had significantly lower rates than Caucasian Americans. Healthy People 2010 goals call for reducing the disparities between these groups of women and for increasing the initiation rates for all women to 75%. The Best Start 3 Step Counseling Strategy is an effective tool to increase initiation of breastfeeding in vulnerable populations. Social marketing theory is applied to breastfeeding promotion in the following manner; the competition is identified, the target audience defined, the barriers reduced and the benefits increased all through the use of the three step counseling approach. Open ended questions elicit concerns, the woman’s feelings are affirmed and targeted education is provided regarding specific concerns at each prenatal visit. This takes only a few minutes time and produces positive measurable outcomes in initiating breastfeeding. A train the trainer program was developed at the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and offered at workshops during annual meetings of ACNM and the Assoc. of Women’s Health, Obstetrical and Neonatal Nurses in 2001. Those workshops educated over 90 trainers and equipped them with comprehensive teaching materials to train prenatal health care physicians, nurses, midwives, outreach workers and WIC staff in this communication technique. Resources from those workshops will be presented.

Learning Objectives:

• a. Demonstrate the Best Strat 3 Step Counseling Stretegy that enhances initiation of breastfeedingwith vulnerable populations.
• b. Identify the six most common factors that deter economically disadvantaged women from breastfeeding.
• c. Identify the factors that attract women to breastfeed.
• d. Recognize the benefits of train the trainer programs to bring this strategy to health care providers and outreach workers in contact with pregnant women.

Related Web page: www.midwife.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.