LA County Public Health Maternal, Child, & Adolescent Health

Goal

Babies are born to breastfeed! While a mother’s milk provides the best nutrition for her baby, there are often barriers preventing a new mother from feeling ready or comfortable breastfeeding her baby. The goal of the Breastfeeding Program is to ensure that women and families have access to breastfeeding education, support and resources in the clinics and hospitals, at work or school, and in every community.

Strategies

Raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding
Partner with hospitals serving low-income communities in Los Angeles County to develop policies that support breastfeeding for new mothers and to achieve Baby-Friendly designation
Partner with community clinics to promote breastfeeding and provide breastfeeding education in both the prenatal and early postpartum periods.
Engage with employers to improve workplace support for nursing mothers
Continue to enforce the countywide lactation accommodation policy to support nursing mothers who return to work at the County
Offer training to child care centers and homes about breastfeeding support and accommodation for parents and employees

Information Sharing and Project Evaluation

In order for a mom to be successful at breastfeeding, she requires support from her providers, family, school, workplace and community during pregnancy, at the delivery hospital, and in the postpartum period. Successful breastfeeding also requires the mom’s commitment, which is made stronger by the support around her.”


	Through funding made possible by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Community Transformation Grant, MCAH assisted maternity hospitals throughout the county to implement or improve practices that support breastfeeding. This brief identifies key program highlights.

Hospitals can receive the international Baby-Friendly designation for implementing breastfeeding best practices. This new brief examines how resources and progress toward achieving Baby-Friendly designation can impact hospitals’ ability to improve breastfeeding rates.

Although hospital exclusive breastfeeding data are not yet available for 2014, five hospitals received their Baby-Friendly designation in 2014 and the number of designees continues to rise in 2015. Check here for the most recent numbers.


	These two MCAH breastfeeding briefs shed additional light on challenges that individual women face in continuing breastfeeding after they leave the hospital, and how interaction with supportive and encouraging health care providers contributes toward their ongoing success.

Resource & Links For Parents

ChooseHealthLA Video: Breastfeeding Benefits - Healthy Mom and Healthy Babies
Pregnant? Click here to find out what your rights are for time off work!
Find breastfeeding resources in your area!
Breastfeeding Works – Resources for moms returning to work or school
It’s Only Natural – Resources and videos for African American women and families
La Leche League of Southern California - Dedicated to providing education, information, support, and encouragement to women who want to breastfeed. Monthly group meetings are held throughout Southern California and Nevada to discuss breastfeeding and related parenting topics.
Marijuana and Your Baby - Information about marijuana use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding
International Breastfeeding Center - Helpful breastfeeding videos and articles
National Women's Health Information Center Breastfeeding Homepage - A project of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health

For Child Care Providers

For Health Professionals

Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) - Worldwide organization of physicians dedicated to the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding and human lactation
California Department of Health Services Breastfeeding Program - Reports and publications including hospital breastfeeding statistical tables by county
California WIC Association - Breastfeeding advocacy initiatives that increase initiation and duration of breastfeeding, particularly exclusive breastfeeding, as well as greater acceptance of breastfeeding as the accepted norm
BreastfeedLA - Dedicated to improving the health and well being of infants and families through education, outreach, and advocacy to promote and support breastfeeding
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Recommendations on Breastfeeding for Healthy Term Infants (PDF File)
Breastfeeding Pharmacology - Breastfeeding and medications forum, hosted by Dr. Thomas Hale, R.Ph., Ph.D., International registry for lactation research

Recent and Upcoming Events

For a list of upcoming events please visit:
Breastfeed LA Calendar of Events
California Breastfeeding Summit
See highlights from the LA County Breastfeeding Summit on October 16, 2014! Drs. Gilchick and King spoke about county breastfeeding initiatives and overcoming racial disparities.

Contact:

Helen O’Connor
Health Program Analyst
213-639-6442
hoconnor@ph.lacounty.gov

MCAH Programs