1511cf66_all_To_Action_on_Breastfeeding__Topic
[ID] 942 [Interest Areas] Health Care Provider Lactation Professional [Comment] A national hospital lactation program needs to be established. This should include 1.outpatient lactation education and support for pregnancy 2. inpatient lactation support for mothers 3. Outpatient follow up support for post partum mothers and babies. If each hospital provided this type of care mothers would have a resource for support. Most hospitals have inpatient care only and once the mother is discharged she is on her own or dependent on Physicians who are a are a great deterrant to breastfeeding in this country. Obstricians and Pediatricians wean mothers from breast to bottle due to lack of interest in breastfeeding and lack of knowledge. The obstricians and pediatricians must change their attitude about breastfeeding if you want to see any changes in the breastfeeding rates in this country. They allow discharge formula packs to be distributed to their patients during pregnancy and are the ones who most often recommend supplementation for no medical reason. Baby Friendly Hospitals are impossible in this country because hospitals depend on the funds provided to them by formula companies for programs. The AAP MUST be held accountable for this problem. We need to begin looking at formula marketing the same way we look at the marketing of medications and it must cease. You will be continuously paddeling upstream if you do not stop the marketing of formula in this country and get physicians to be held accountable for their actions in supporting formula feeding. [Topic] 
Maternal and Infant Care Practices: Prenatal, Hospital, and Post-Delivery Care
Call To Action on Breastfeeding
Topic