Children’s & Women’s Hospital selected for national breastfeeding initiative
Team members at Children’s & Women’s Hospital are dedicated to increasing the bond between a mother and her baby through research-backed practices, including breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact. These lactation practices have many health benefits for mothers and infants, including lower risks of cancer, diabetes, and other diseases.
By Casandra Andrews
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Expectant mothers along the Gulf Coast have a number of reasons to choose USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital as a place to start or grow their family. Among them: The hospital is one of just 100 in the U.S. – and the only one on the upper Gulf Coast – participating in a three-year program to help increase exclusive breastfeeding rates, improve maternity care, and decrease racial disparities.
Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the program known as CHAMPS National allows lactation specialists and other maternity staff at the hospitals to receive free expert training and support to safely implement a 10-step program to successful breastfeeding.
“We are proud to be part of this program that supports our continuing efforts to provide mothers and their infants with the best possible start to a healthy life,” said Tammy Doherty, RNC-MNN, IBCLC. “Our hospital strives to promote and support breastfeeding as it provides lifelong health benefits for both mothers and babies.”
The World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life. (This includes expressed breast milk.) Exclusive breastfeeding enables infants to grow and develop healthier immune systems. Mothers also benefit, as it lowers their risk for certain illnesses including breast and ovarian cancer. Research shows that other benefits for babies include fewer cases of ear infections, asthma, eczema, and gastrointestinal issues.
Enrolled hospitals receive customized free training on breastfeeding and best practices for maternity staff that is anchored in safety, equity, and quality improvement. That training includes an expert coach, who helps determine training needs, overcome barriers to change, and track data to chart progress.
“I love having the latest information and resources provided by CHAMPS to improve our breastfeeding initiatives and exclusivity rates in the community,” said Jamie Williams, BSN, RNC-MNN, IBCLC, a nurse and certified lactation consultant at the hospital.
At Children’s & Women’s Hospital, part of the academic health system for the University of South Alabama, care team members also participate in webinars and conferences, sharing challenges, strategies, and insights during the program, which is part of the Center for Health Equity, Education and Research.
Because of its demonstrated ability to help protect, promote, and support breastfeeding, the hospital has been recognized repeatedly by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) for excellence in lactation care. The recognition means mothers who deliver at the hospital and choose to breastfeed have access to the highest level of lactation support throughout their stay and after returning home.
In recent years, Children’s & Women’s Hospital has received four International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) Care Awards in recognition of staffing professionals who hold the prestigious IBCLC certification and for providing a lactation program for breastfeeding families, among other achievements.
Team members at Children’s & Women’s Hospital are dedicated to increasing the bond between a mother and her baby through research-backed practices, including breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact. These lactation practices have many health benefits for mothers and infants, including lower risks of cancer, diabetes, and other diseases.
