news from the field

Airports Are Now Required to Provide Public Lactation Spaces!
October 12, 2018
As part of the 5-year reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), airports are now required to provide publicly accessible lactation rooms that are clean, private, non-bathroom spaces, specifically for breast milk expression. The President signed the reauthorization of the FAA on October 12, 2018. The FAA Reauthorization also requires airports to provide baby changing tables in one men’s and one women’s restroom in each terminal building. CHEER is excited to celebrate this legislative win!
 
For more information, you can read USBC’s News Release on this legislation 
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Merit Health Maternity Videos
October 1, 2018
Merit Health River Oaks and Merit Health Woman’s Hospital have created two short videos that showcase their comprehensive maternity care. Merit Health Woman’s Hospital was Designated Baby-Friendly in September 2018, and all the other Merit System hospitals are working toward Baby-Friendly Designation. CHAMPS is proud to work with all the Merit Health Hospitals in Mississippi! Please click the links below to watch each video.  
CDC Releases Breastfeeding Report Card
September 1, 2018
The CDC Breastfeeding Report Card provides a compilation of data on breastfeeding practices and supports in all states, the District of Colombia (DC), Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands. 

CHAMPS is thrilled that our colleagues and teams in Louisiana and Mississippi are doing well, especially in the area of percent of births born in Baby-Friendly hospitals in 2018. Also a shout out to Indian Health - states like Arizona and the Dakotas, IHS or tribal facilities still make up most/many of the BF hospitals - well done IHS facilities for getting and maintaining their status! 
Recent papers stress the importance and safety of skin-to-skin and rooming-in!
September 1, 2018
Two publications in the medical literature, one written by the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on SIDS, have responded to recent concerns voiced by other authors, about the safety of the Ten Steps. 
LORI FELDMAN-WINTER, MD, MPH, FAAP, FABM
Systematic Review on Breastfeeding Programs and Policies, from AHRQ
August 1, 2018
.The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released their Systematic Review titled, "Breastfeeding Programs and Policies, Breastfeeding Uptake, and Maternal Health Outcomes in Developed Countries." The purpose of the review was to summarize the effectiveness of community, workplace, and health care system–based programs and policies aimed at supporting and promoting breastfeeding, and to determine the association between breastfeeding and maternal health. Key findings included:
  • Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is associated with improved rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration.
  • Health care staff education combined with postpartum home visits may be effective for increasing breastfeeding duration
  • Health care staff education alone (with no additional breastfeeding support services) may not be effective for increasing breastfeeding initiation rates.
  • For women enrolled in the WIC Program, peer-support interventions offered by WIC agencies may improve rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration.
  • Breastfeeding is associated with reduced maternal risk of breast and ovarian cancer, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.
  • Workplace, school-based, and community-based interventions and underlying socioeconomic factors need further research.
​To read the full report, click here.
News from Baby-Friendly USA: New Milestone of 1 Million Babies Born Each Year in Baby-Friendly Designated Facilities ​
August 1, 2018
This article from Baby Friendly USA (July 2018) features their announcement of a new milestone. Over 1 million babies are now born in Baby-Friendly facilities across the United States. "In 2007, less than 3% of US births occurred in approximately 60 Baby-Friendly designated facilities. In 2018, these numbers have risen to more than 25% of births in more than 500 Baby-Friendly designated facilities. Baby-Friendly protocols are now standard practice in birthing centers across the country, even for many facilities that are not officially designated as Baby-Friendly institutions."
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To read the full article click here

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