285767
Making breastfeeding the norm: Breastfeeding best practices in Hudson and Union Counties, NJ
Sarah Bilyj, RN, BSN, CLC,
Nurse-Family Partnership of Hudson and Union Counties, Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey, Jersey City, NJ
Background: Healthy People 2020 raised targets for breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity, reflecting the medical recommendation of six months of exclusive breastfeeding followed by continued breastfeeding for the first year of life and beyond. According to the CDC, 75% of new mothers initiate breastfeeding, but only 13% of infants are breastfed exclusively for six months. Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) is an evidence-based home visitation program serving first-time, low-income pregnant women and their families beginning during pregnancy, continuing until the child's second birthday. Method: In addition to the NFP model, NHVs implement breastfeeding best practices to overcome barriers and support clients' breastfeeding goals. Best practices include: providing interventions in the context of personal, family and cultural influences, provision of visual supports (instructional DVDs, breast model, printed materials) and incentives (Boppy pillows, reward for maintenance at 6 and 12 months); direct observation of feedings and interventions to promote proper latch-on, positioning and technique; support for maintenance of breastfeeding during transitions to work or school, including teaching on pumping and storage; referrals to community supports; professional training of NHVs as certified lactation counselors, being available to clients throughout the day via cell-phone to address any issues or concerns, conducting breastfeeding educational classes open to clients as well as the general public. Results: Hudson county breastfeeding initiation rate is 91%, 31.9% at 6 months, 25 % at 12 months and 20 % at 18 months. NJ state totals are 78.7% for initiation, 28.2 % at 6 months, 16.3% at 12 months and 9.1 % at 18 months. Best practices have been replicated in Union county since February 2012; initiation rate has increased to 89.4 % and 14.3% at 18 months. Conclusion: Implementing nursing best practice in addition to the NFP model yielded successful breastfeeding initiation and duration results compared to the NJ State Total.
Learning Areas:
Public health or related nursing
Learning Objectives:
Formulate best practices to assess, educate and promote breastfeeding
Identify cultural barriers to breastfeeding
Assess client’s knowledge level, learning needs and desire to breastfeed
Keyword(s): Breastfeeding, Public Health Education and Health Promotion
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract Author on the content I am responsible for because I am the supervisor for the Nurse Family Partnership Program (NFP) of Hudson and Union County. Together with my team of nurses we developed and implemented the best practices presented in the abstract and evaluated the results using our data tracking system. I have been a registered nurse for nine years and worked with the NFP for four years.
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.
