Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116029

Dhruti Pandya, MD¹, Natalie Dweck, RN¹, Michael Homeyer¹, P. Visintainer, PhD², Antoni D'Souza, MD¹, Rhonda Valdes-Greene, RNC, BSN, IBLC¹, and Heather L. Brumberg, MD, MPH¹. (1) Division of Neonatology, Westchester Medical Center, 95 Grasslands Rd., Valhalla, NY 10595, 914-493-8491, heather_brumberg@nymc.edu, (2) Health Quantitative Sciences, School of Public Health, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595

Background: Rates of providing breast milk (BM) in the NICU remain low, sometimes due to poor maternal support/education. Lactation consultants may provide the framework to facilitate increased rates of a BM diet for sick infants. Objective: To determine if the addition of a dedicated full time lactation consultant (LC) would impact the rate of inborn neonates receiving BM in the NICU over time. Methods: Retrospective chart review of 259 neonates (1/03-9/03) at WMC-NICU during 3 time intervals: T1 (3 months before dedicated LC, n=79), T2 (after LC's arrival, n=80), and T3 (subsequent 3 months after T2, n=100). Data consisted of neonatal and maternal characteristics, demographic factors, and infant feeding practices. Results: Mean birth weight (gm) and gestational age (wks) for T1-3 were different (p< 0.05) as infants were smaller and more premature in the two periods after LC was hired, T1 (2594+873, 35+3), T2 (2129+1056, 33+5), and T3 (2097+832, 33+4). Results suggest that more babies received any BM after hiring a full time LC [59% (T1), 61% (T2), and 67% (T3), p=0.17], less babies discharged on formula [46% (T1) vs. 40% (T3)], and more babies discharged on BM only diet [8% (T1) vs. 14% (T3)]. Conclusion: The addition of a full time LC to the NICU environment may have increased the rates of breastfeeding and decreased the number of babies on formula only diets at discharge. Further analysis on subsequent epochs and outborn babies will increase power and length of follow up.

Learning Objectives:

• To determine if the addition of a dedicated full time lactation consultant would impact the rate of inborn neonates receiving BM in the Regional Perinatal Center over time.

Keywords: Breast Feeding, Lactation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.