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Breastfeeding Policy Assignment
Breastfeeding Policy Assignment
09 May, 2022
immunocompetent infant. Healthy People 2030 have implemented guidelines and goals to
elevate the ratio of infants and children who are breastfed from birth to 6 months of age, and
thereafter until one year, including complementary feeding. Benefits, policies, impacts, and
barriers are incorporated and contribute to this field of study. These components are to be
discussed and analyzed in order to further the importance of this study in the world of nutrition,
enrich the knowledge of the dietitian when in practice, and assess and increase both maternal and
infant wellbeing.
Maternal and infant benefits to breastfeeding include the reduced probability for illness
and disease, both short and long-term; milk can adapt to the infant’s specific needs. Consistently
breastfeeding mothers are also able to transfer antibodies to their baby, contributing to the
reduced risk of disease. In addition to breastmilk containing the most nutritiously rich elements
for a healthy immunocompetent baby, mothers are really able to breastfeed at any point. Specific
to mothers, breastfeeding can minimize maternal risks of resulting ovarian cancer, T2DM, and
hypertension. These chronic illnesses are known to be developed less in mothers who breastfeed.
There are several policies, acts, and programs that aid in increasing access to
breastfeeding in the United States. One in particular, the “Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative” was
implemented by a joint unification of the World Health Organization and UNICEF to launch a
global initiative to assist and encourage breastfeeding mothers. BFHI serves hospitals supporting
breastfeeding postpartum and thereafter. BHFI stresses the benefits and importance of
breastfeeding and stimulates an evidence-based approach for mothers in the first days after birth,
Breastfeeding" (clickable link), lays out criteria for mothers to reference when breastfeeding in
order to promote the best outcomes for mother and child alike. By providing these guidelines and
education, BFHI has made notable advances in shifting institutions from using and promoting
The Affordable Care Act has developed strategies to support breastfeeding mothers by
demanding insurance coverage of supplies for breastfeeding equipment, and allowing employees
to obtain privacy at their place of work to pump. The ACA has also implemented laws
authorizing nursing mothers to breastfeed in both private and public locations, and forged
areas with low breastfeeding rates. Baby Café’s mission is to ignite community support and
implement weekly meetings or frequent drop-ins for mothers to obtain guidance and
encouragement, and build relationships with one another. A rigorous application process and
intense qualifications for staff keep Baby Café up to standard for the best care for mothers and
infants. Offering free education, community-based support, and licensed professionals, this
programs incentive is to increase the ratio of breastfed infants and provoke this change to aid
mothers in reaching their breastfeeding goals, and reducing instance of disease and health issues
Benefits for breastfeeding aren’t just at a familial level. Economically in the healthcare
system, the occurrence of a higher rate of breastfeeding would extraordinarily reduce disease
risk, health costs, and circumstances of health disparities. Families who implement breastfeeding
protocols are in a position to save roughly $1,200-$1,500 on formula feedings within the first
year of the infant’s life. Additionally, a study in the “Pediatrics” journal approximated the
savings of $13 billion in the reduction of medical costs with the compliance of 90% of families
participating in exclusive breastfeeding for the infant’s first 6 months. At the employment level,
insurance claims would lessen, time off would diminish, and work productivity would rise.
Potential positives for nutrition professionals include the support of the breastfeeding
mother and gauge of nutritional status on the infant. RDNs and other nutrition professionals are
global and state level organizations like the WHO and programs such as WIC, nutrition
professionals possess a breadth of knowledge to aid mothers and their infants. Observing positive
both a personal and familial level can inhibit proper breastfeeding protocol. Lack of community
support or engagement with other breastfeeding mothers may also hinder opportunities for
breastfeeding. Hospitals with inadequate professionals or sparse lactation support methods may
render it difficult for a mother to initiate breastfeeding her infant. Workplace environments could
also be a potential barrier, leaving a strenuous and burdensome task for mothers to supply their
infant with breastmilk. Social normals, namely, the social judgment that breastfeeding mothers
face presents another barrier, being that bottle-feeding is “easier”. Lactation complications such
as sore or enlarged breasts, and failure to latch also pose risk for the reduction of the
The prevalence and hopeful escalation of breastfed infants proves to be a vital component
in the health of mothers and children. The obvious positive associations and outcomes of
breastfed infants are of global importance. Benefits can be found on multiple levels, and with
proper education, training, and awareness, the occurrence of breastfed newborns into 6 months of
Works Cited
1.) Increase the proportion of infants who are breastfed exclusively through age 6 months -
mich-15. Increase the proportion of infants who are breastfed exclusively through age 6 months
- MICH-15 - Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). Retrieved May 9, 2022, from https://health.gov/
healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/infants/increase-proportion-infants-who-
are-breastfed-exclusively-through-age-6-months-
mich-15#:~:text=Breastfeeding%20is%20linked%20to%20a,for%20the%20first%206%20month
s.
2.) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, July 27). Breastfeeding benefits both
baby and mom. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved May 9, 2022, from https://
www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/features/breastfeeding-benefits/
index.html#:~:text=Breastfeeding%20can%20help%20protect%20babies,ear%20infections%20a
nd%20stomach%20bugs.
3.) Friendly USA - about. Baby. (2019, December 13). Retrieved May 9, 2022, from https://
www.babyfriendlyusa.org/about/
#:~:text=The%20Baby%2DFriendly%20Hospital%20Initiative&text=The%20BFHI%20assists%
20hospitals%20in,hospitals%20that%20have%20done%20so.
4.) Breastfeeding promotion programs. County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. (n.d.). Retrieved
May 9, 2022, from https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/take-action-to-improve-health/what-
works-for-health/strategies/breastfeeding-promotion-
programs#:~:text=The%20Special%20Supplemental%20Nutrition%20Program,training%20in%
20breastfeeding%20promotion30.
5.) Your first choice for breastfeeding support. Baby Café USA. (n.d.). Retrieved May 9, 2022,
from https://www.babycafeusa.org/
6.) General, O. of the S. (2021, March 12). Breastfeeding: Surgeon general's call to action fact
sheet. HHS.gov. Retrieved May 9, 2022, from https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-
publications/breastfeeding/factsheet/index.html
7.)