Breast Practices: Strategies to Support Lactating Emergency Physicians

Abstract

Lactation benefits both lactating individuals and their infants. Despite high rates of breastfeeding initiation, physicians are a high-risk group for early cessation. Barriers to meeting lactation goals for physicians include lack of protected time, dedicated space, and collegial support. The emergency department (ED) is a uniquely challenging setting for lactating emergency physicians, given the highstress, high-acuity environment that lacks predictability or scheduled breaks. This article presents an overview of relevant lactation physiology and evidence for specific strategies that the lactating emergency physician, colleagues, and ED leadership can implement to overcome barriers and facilitate meeting lactation goals. [

Three decades of demographic trends among academic emergency physicians

“…Leaders in academic emergency medicine must examine their departmental policies and workplace cultures to identify factors that support or erode efforts toward achieving gender equity. 46 Departments must move beyond simply developing supportive parental leave 47 , 48 and lactation 49 , 50 policies. These are certainly necessary, yet as Cameron et al.…”

“…Leaders in academic emergency medicine must examine their departmental policies and workplace cultures to identify factors that support or erode efforts toward achieving gender equity. 46 Departments must move beyond simply developing supportive parental leave 47,48 and lactation 49,50 policies. These are certainly necessary, yet as Cameron et al have noted, "barriers to gender equity in academic medicine extend far beyond gaps in women's career trajectories related to (assumed, expected) maternity leave and child raising."…”

Breastfeeding Among Pediatric Emergency Physicians

“…Education in this regard has been shown to be lacking for physicians. 26,27 In a recent article in Annals of Emergency Medicine, Haas et al 28 described strategies for supporting breastfeeding physicians in the emergency department setting. It includes strategies for lactating physicians as well as their colleagues and departmental leadership, and it bears consideration by all in PEM leadership roles.…”

Alleviating stressfeeding in the emergency department: Elucidating the tensions induced by workplace lactation space issues

“… 14 , 15 , 16 Workplace lactation barriers for physicians include clinical time pressures and lack of access to appropriate lactation spaces. 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 Within EM, our previous work found that cultural pressures surrounding physical separation from the department created enormous barriers to lactating while working clinically. 37 However, data elucidating the specific qualities of a lactation space that beget success remain scant.…”

“…A survey of healthcare workers (less than 20% of whom were physicians or medical students) identified desired tangible qualities such as a hospital‐grade pump, sink, a comfortable and wipeable chair, countertop space, refrigerator, and a computer. 38 While ideal features of an ED lactation space have been recommended, 31 to date there exist no empirical, EM‐specific studies to evaluate the appropriateness of these recommendations or challenges associated with implementation. Furthermore, there exists no framework to conceptualize which modifiable qualities of a lactation space departmental leaders facing financial and space constraints should prioritize.…”