Learning and Leading...read about NYC Health Department initiatives that reach beyond NYC. Click Here
Breastfeeding Initiative
Breastfeeding is vitally important to the health of mothers and babies. Experts nationally and at the NYC Health Department recommend that mothers breastfeed exclusively for six months and then continue to breastfeed while adding supplementary foods for at least a year. Breastfeeding fosters a special bond between mothers and babies, while also providing the optimal source of infant nutrition. Breastfed babies are less likely than formula-fed babies to get certain infections, and to develop certain chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Breastfeeding is also beneficial to mothers -- women who breastfeed have a reduced risk of diabetes and certain cancers, including ovarian and breast cancers.
While most women want to breastfeed and are successful, studies show that support from doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals can have a significant impact on how long mothers breastfeed and whether they breastfeed exclusively. The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), a global program of the World Health Organization and UNICEF, outlines 10 steps a hospital can take to successfully support breastfeeding. In 2008, the Fund for Public Health in New York was awarded a private grant on behalf of the Health Department’s Bureau of Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health to help Staten Island University Hospital and Richmond University Medical Center adopt and evaluate critical components of the BFHI.
Breastfeeding rates in Staten Island are lower than citywide breastfeeding rates. Around 80% of mothers initiate breastfeeding in Staten Island, compared to the citywide rate of more than 85%. Similarly, around 55% of Staten Island mothers are still breastfeeding at 2 months compared to more than 65% of mothers citywide. Since the start of the program, both hospitals have updated policies and procedures, implemented “rooming in” and “early-latch” practices, conducted staff trainings and reduced the number of breastfeeding infants who receive artificial feedings. Grant funding also supported the evaluation of breastfeeding-friendly activities and policies, allowing the hospitals to monitor progress, improve breastfeeding, and develop sustainable policies and practices.
To learn more about the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative in the U.S., click here.
To learn more about the Health Department’s breastfeeding initiative, click here.