Feature

Bundling and breastfeeding

Bundling breastfeeding with other aspects of health care may help others be more accepting. One of the lessons learned from the Massachusetts Baby-Friendly Collaborative is that both health professionals and moms have an easier time discussing breastfeeding when it’s linked in with other activities. Some examples:

• One hospital has yearly skills stations to train staff. In addition to stations such as neonatal resuscitation, there are stations on alternative feeding methods and use of nipple shields.
• A few of our hospitals encourage moms to get breastfeeding support by hosting new parent support groups which help families with wide ranging issues. But they are all also staffed with lactation consultants. This makes it easier for moms to ask for the help they may need, and to get it!
• One hospital did trainings in doctors’ offices, in which they discussed two unrelated subjects with staff – breastfeeding and shaken baby syndrome.