health
Most U.S. hospitals do not fully support breastfeeding
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 15, 2011
Fewer than 4% of hospitals in the United States provide the full range of support new mothers need to be able to breastfeed, says a study in the Aug. 5 issue of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The findings come as recent data show that breastfed babies have lower rates of diabetes, ear infections and obesity than children who receive formula (link).
The CDC issued a survey to hospitals on infant feeding routines in 2007 and 2009. Researchers examined responses of participants, which included 2,690 hospitals in 2007 and 2,672 hospitals in 2009.
In 2009, about 93% of hospitals provided prenatal breastfeeding education and about 89% instructed new mothers on breastfeeding techniques. But only about one in seven hospitals had model breastfeeding policies, and 27% of facilities had adequate support for breastfeeding mothers when they were discharged.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/08/15/hlbf0815.htm.
