Demand for Lactation Leads to Flowing Supply of Success: Support Requested from States to Improve Breastfeeding Practices

Breastfeeding Support: Statistics Don't Tell the Whole Story

“…2 Racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding rates persist despite a plethora of research, 3 supportive policies, 4 encouraging recommendations, 1,4 postpartum provision of lactation consultants, and increasing adoption of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. 5,6 Why then is this physiologic stimulus-response mechanism difficult to maintain? It is time to take a deeper look at the barriers individuals face when they consider breastfeeding or giving their infant pumped human milk.…”

“…For example, at 6 months of age, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in non‐Hispanic black infants is 17.2% compared to 29.5% in non‐Hispanic white infants . Racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding rates persist despite a plethora of research, supportive policies, encouraging recommendations, postpartum provision of lactation consultants, and increasing adoption of the Baby‐Friendly Hospital Initiative . Why then is this physiologic stimulus‐response mechanism difficult to maintain?…”