Mother Support: Going for the Gold - Everyone Wins When Babies Breastfeed!

1. Mother Support: Going for the Gold Everyone Wins When Babies Breastfeed! International Lactation Consultant Association Produced by the International Lactation Consultant Association for use in 2008 World Breastfeeding Week promotions. This presentation may be freely used for educational, noncommercial uses as long as it remains unchanged.

2. 2008 World Breastfeeding Week • World Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy (WABA) 2008 WBW theme: Mother Support: Going for the GoldEveryone Wins When Babies Breastfeed! • Focus of ILCA’s WBW Kit: Ways a mother’s circle of care helps her “go for the gold”

3. The Gold Standard Gold and Breastmilk: • Precious substances • Neither can be manufactured • Just as gold is the standard by which currencies are compared, breastmilk is the standard by which all other infant foods are compared.

4. Breastfeeding is the most precious gift a mother can give her infant. When there is illness or malnutrition it may be a lifesaving gift. When there is poverty it may be the only gift. --Dr. Ruth Lawrence

5. “Going for the Gold” • Exclusive breastfeeding for six months • Adding appropriate foods at six months with continued breastfeeding to a year, two years, or beyond—for as long as mother and baby wish

6. How “Going for the Gold” Makes the Difference • Breastfeeding’s impact matters—in developed and developing countries • Impact on Infant Health • Impact on Maternal Health (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 2007)

7. Mother’s Circle of Care • Family & friends • Healthcare team • Employer • Emergency workers during a crisis • Government

8. Mother’s Circle of Care:Family & Friends • Grandmothers: A powerful influencer on initiation and duration! • Fathers:Often have barriers to breastfeeding that need to be addressed • Other Mothers

9. Strengthening theCircle of Care:Family & Friends • Create special opportunities to include Grandmothers and Dads in prenatal and post-partum education • Connect new mothers to other breastfeeding mothers in your community via La Leche League, a local Peer Counselor Program, or start a new support group at your facility

10. Mother’s Circle of Care:Healthcare Team • Prenatally:Positive support from healthcare providers can impact initiation • Post-partum:Evidence-based maternity practices impact duration andexclusivity rates

11. Strengthening the Circle of Care:Healthcare Team • Offer breastfeeding updates as part of monthly meetings for healthcare providers in your community • Provide “Go for the Gold!” stickers for the healthcare team to remind them of the impact they have and to cue them to talk to mothers about breastfeeding early and often • If your facility is not already Baby Friendly, look for ways to “baby-step” toward it—every step counts!

12. Mother’s Circle of Care:Employer • The decision to resume employment affects both how long mothers breastfeed (Arlotti 1998) and how long they will exclusively breastfeed. (McKinley 2004; McLeod 2002). • Most breastfeeding women who return to work typically wean their infants before the end of their first month back at work. (Cardenas 2005).

13. Strengthening theCircle of Care:Employer • Contact employers in your community with information on how lactation support improves their bottom line. • Advocate for workplace policies and legislation, as well as paid leave policies

14. Mother’s Circle of Care:Emergency Workers • Though it is not always possible to predict WHEN an emergency will happen, taking measures to protect and support breastfeeding through preventive actions and follow-up measures can save lives.

15. Strengthening theCircle of Care:Emergency Workers • Learn more about the needs of families who are in the midst of crisis so you can respond appropriately in offering lactation support services. • Meet with healthcare professionals BEFORE an emergency occurs to outline needs of breastfeeding women and options for providing support.

16. Mother’s Circle of Care:Government • Enacting policies that promote, protect and support breastfeeding impact perceived support and subsequent confidence levels of new mothers.

17. Strengthening theCircle of Care:Government • Advocate for the implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes in your community. • Work to eliminate hospital discharge packs and infant formula samples to new mothers.

18. IBCLCs Help MothersGo for the Gold! • Provide prenatal information and breastfeeding assessment • Assist with appropriate breastfeeding technique • Assist breastfeeding mothers or babies who are ill or have anatomical challenges • Give information on maintaining or building milk production

19. International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) • Professional Association for IBCLCs and health professionals who serve breastfeeding families • Resources: • Journal of Human Lactation • International Conference • Independent Study Modules • Position Papers • “Clinical Guidelines on the Establishment of Exclusive Breastfeeding” • Interactive website www.ilca.org

20. World Breastfeeding WeekResources fromILCAwww.ilca.org • For Mothers: • “I’m Going for the Gold!” onesie/bodysuit • Sling bag • Door knob hanger • Stickers • For Staff: • Button • Lanyards • Writing pen • Chart reminder stickers AND MORE!

21. 2008 International Lactation Consultant Association, 1500 Sunday Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USATelephone (919) 861-5577 ･ Fax (919) 787-4916 Written by Kendall Cox and Cathy Carothers. For World Breastfeeding Week Action Kit, “Mother Support: Going for the Gold – Everyone Wins When Babies Breastfeed.”