Julianne M Barredo

368 Life Cycle Nutrition

Professor Laura Kovacs

09 May, 2022

Breastfeeding Policy Assignment

Breastfeeding is an extremely vital component for a healthy, well-nourished, and

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 mothers to aid in delegating information and skills in effort to continue

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,

and supports an individualized viewpoint. The “ Ten Steps to Successful

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

formula to reinforcing evidence-based research and providing lactation support, incentivizing

mothers to make the shift as well.

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

campaigns on education for breastfeeding awareness.

Baby Café USA is a non-profit organization developed by an RN to serve lower-income

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

in both infants and mothers.

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

able to provide adequate, evidenced-based information and resources to mothers. Supporting

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

changes such as an increase in breastfeeding followed by decreases in illnesses and chronic

diseases prove effective in the mission of the nutrition professional.

Lastly, there are barriers regarding breastfeeding. Insufficient education or knowledge on

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

continuation, and eventual cessation of breastfeeding.

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

life and up to 1 year with complementary feeding will continue to rise.

 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.)