257632 Bringing Baby-Friendly to New Jersey: A year of change

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 : 11:21 AM - 11:38 AM

Lori B. Feldman-Winter, MD, MPH , Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Regional Hospital at Cooper-CMSRU, Camden, NJ
Shreya Durvasula, BA , NJ Chapter (AAP NJ), NJPCORE, American Academy of Pediatrics, Hamilton, NJ
Joshua Belfer , Department of Pediatrics, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH, IBCLC , Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA
Background: In June 2010, the Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) program (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) funded a New Jersey Office on Nutrition and Fitness (ONF), Department of Health and Senior Services project to increase exclusive breastfeeding by statewide implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. At baseline, NJ had no Baby-Friendly hospitals. Objective: To certify at least two Baby-Friendly hospitals, and have 10 hospitals fully implement at least two of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding using a quality improvement approach. Design/Methods: The ONF, working with the NJ American Academy of Pediatrics and consultants awarded $10,000 mini-grants to 10 hospitals in a competitive process. Ongoing technical assistance was provided via monthly teleconferences, an internet portal, and site visits. The intervention was over a 15 month period. Results: One hospital engaged in the Baby-Friendly certificate of Intent process at baseline had a successful site assessment by Baby-Friendly. All other 9 hospitals entered Baby-Friendly USA's 4D Pathway; all have passed through Discovery, 5 are in Development, and 4 in Dissemination. Project consultants created a Baby-Friendly USA approved statewide infant feeding policy; all 10 hospitals either adopted or adapted this new policy. At baseline, 7 hospitals distributed industry sponsored formula sample packs; now, none of the hospitals distribute them. At baseline, all hospitals accepted free formula from the manufacturers; now, 4 hospitals are paying for formula, and 3 will pay in early 2012. From a baseline of 6% as the mean staff training among 6 hospitals with data, now 78% of staff members are currently trained in compliance with Baby-Friendly USA requirements of 20 hours education including 5 hours of hands-on skills. Conclusions: A statewide coalition engaged in quality improvement expedited hospital-based environmental and policy changes that moved them towards Baby-Friendly certification

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
The learner will be able to identify strategies for improving hospital breastfeeding practices and policies.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Hospitals

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I directed the program
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5113.0: Improving Maternity Practices: Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative