Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Traci Lundy, MS, RD/LD¹, Rosanne J. Smith, RD/LD, IBCLC¹, Rebecca Mannel, BS, IBCLC², and Linda M. Miller, MEd, RN³. (1) WIC Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health, 2401 NW 23rd St., Suite 70, Shepherd Mall, Oklahoma City, OK 73107-2475, 405-271-4676, tracil@health.ok.gov, (2) The Lactation Center, OU Medical Center, 1200 Everett Drive, Rm 4NP525F, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, (3) Rising Star Education Inc., 216 N. Mercedes Drive, Norman, OK 73069

The Oklahoma State Department of Health, legislators, lactation consultants, hospitals, healthcare professionals, employers, and breastfeeding families formed a community partnership for the protection of the human right to breastfeed. This community partnership is dedicated to improving the health of Oklahomans through increased initiation and duration of breastfeeding statewide. Oklahoma women, especially minority and low-income women, face many obstacles in succeeding at what is not only an act of nature and nurture but a relationship between mother and child that has lifelong health benefits for both. Numerous reports exist of women being harassed, embarrassed, or humiliated for nursing their babies in public places. Legislation to protect the rights of all breastfeeding mothers and infants was enacted in 2004. In 2005, the focus moved towards educating and encouraging society and employers to support female employees who struggle to continue breastfeeding while working outside the home. In 2006, proposed workplace legislation will empower and encourage Oklahoma mothers,increase community support for nursing mothers, and ultimately improve the health of Oklahomans through increased initiation and duration of breastfeeding.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe how Oklahoma has addressed the human right to breastfeed with legislation to protect breastfeeding in public and exempt mothers who are breastfeeding from jury duty.
• Identify key factors and community partners in the process of enacting legislation to enable working women to express milk, for their infants, during normal, unpaid break times.
• Summarize breastfeeding human rights protection efforts in Oklahoma and identify expected outcomes.

Keywords: Breast Feeding, Community-Based Public Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered