North Florida Regional Among Minority of Hospitals Who Fully Support Breastfeeding
September 19, 2011
North Florida Regional Among Minority of Hospitals Who Fully Support Breastfeeding
New CDC Report Shows Missed Chances for Preventing Childhood Obesity Beginning at Birth
Gainesville, FL – According to a recent report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), less than 4 percent of U.S. hospitals provide the full range of support mothers need to be able to breastfeed. Improving rates of breastfeeding by providing better hospital support to mothers and babies is seen as an important strategy to improve children’s health, including a reduced risk of childhood obesity.
“Hospitals play a vital role in supporting a mother to be able to breastfeed,” said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “Those first few hours and days that a mom and her baby spend learning to breastfeed are critical. Hospitals need to better support breastfeeding, as this is one of the most important things a mother can do for her newborn. Breastfeeding helps babies grow up healthy and reduces healthcare costs.”
“We are hopeful that this announcement by the CDC will be a wake-up so that more hospitals will join those of us who are fully committed to supporting mothers to breastfeed their babies,” says Lachelle Reece, Lactation Consultant at The Women’s Center of North Florida Regional Healthcare. “It begins with having a comprehensive breastfeeding policy and includes rooming in, education programs before and after birth, as well as follow-up referrals to lactation consultants and other support services.”
The CDC report shows that only 14 percent of hospitals have a written, model breastfeeding policy and that, in nearly 80 percent of hospitals, healthy mothers and babies are given formula when it is not medically necessary, a practice that makes it much harder for mothers and babies to learn how to breastfeed and continue breastfeeding at home. Additionally, only one-third of hospitals practice ‘rooming in,’ which helps mothers and babies learn to breastfeed by allowing frequent chances to breastfeed. Finally, the report finds that, in nearly 75 percent of hospitals, mothers and babies do not get the support they need when they leave the hospital, including a call from staff and referrals to lactation consultants and other support systems.
“We strongly recommend parents attend our education classes that include breastfeeding before their babies are born,” Reece says. “I cannot emphasize enough what a different it makes to have classes beforehand, followed up with strong support in the hospital and then with calls after parents and babies go home. If breastfeeding after birth is not going well, we invite parents to come in for a free consultation to discuss what is happening and what might be needed.”
The Joint Commission has established Perinatal Care Core Measure Sets to include breastfeeding exclusivity rates. These rates are tracked for babies born at The Women’s Center of North Florida Regional Healthcare. Exclusivity rates are used to measure the percentage of babies who receive no nutrients by mouth other than breast milk. In early August, the exclusivity rate at The Women’s Center was 76.1 percent. The most recent of Maternity Practices In Infant Nutrition conducted by the CDC has rated The Women’s Center at North Florida Regional higher than facilities in Florida and nationwide.
Low rates of breastfeeding add $2.2 billion a year to medical costs. Babies who are fed formula and stop breastfeeding early have higher rates of obesity, diabetes and respiratory and ear infections and tend to require more doctor visits, hospitalizations and prescriptions. According to the report released by the CDC, changing hospital practices to better support mothers and babies can improve these rates.
“We began our comprehensive breastfeeding support program 20 years ago when The Women’s Center opened,” LaChelle Reece says. “Our experience confirms the belief that most women want to breastfeed and can be successful if they have full support from their hospitals and pediatric care providers. We hope this experience will become more widespread.”
Note to Media: To attend programs held for parents that support breastfeeding or to speak with experts who are a part of the program at The Women’s Center, contact the Marketing Department at North Florida Regional Healthcare.
About North Florida Regional Healthcare:
North Florida Regional Healthcare is an organization centered around the only community hospital in Gainesville, Florida -- North Florida Regional Medical Center (NFRMC). NFRMC is a 325-bed, full-service medical and surgical acute care center serving 14 counties and offering comprehensive cardiovascular care, oncology, orthopedics, neurosciences, weight loss surgery and treatment, women’s health and wound therapy, among other services. A proven leader, NFRMC is fully accredited, is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organization, is designated as a Blue Distinction ™ Center for Knee and Hip Replacement ,Spine Surgery and Bariatric Surgery. Recognized by HealthGrades in 2011 for General Surgery care that is among the Top 10 Percent in the nation and the home of 5-star Maternity care, North Florida Regional Medical Center is a member of Hospital Corporation of America (HCA). Based in Nashville, Tennessee, HCA remains the nation’s leading provider of healthcare services, composed of locally managed facilities that include approximately 166 hospitals and 112 outpatient centers in 20 states and England.