| Learning Objective #1: Describe the current research-based findings related to human milk and breastfeeding vulnerable infants | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Discuss models for changing practice in institutions based on training, education, continuous quality improvement and evaluation of outcome data |
The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months with continued breast feeding for a year or more. The AAP, the World Health Organization, and other professional groups have issued statements that promote breastfeeding and/or the use of human milk as the ideal form of infant nutrition for the first year of life. However, there are two major barriers in achieving these recommendations: 1) health care professionals lack the research based knowledge and 2) women who have low birthweight or ill infants are at the highest risk for not breastfeeding. At Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) we are caring for the most vulnerable of infants. Vulnerable infants could most benefit from receiving human milk and breastfeeding; however research has demonstrated that these are the infants least likely to receive human milk.
This presentation will focus on how at CHOP, the current research in breastfeeding and human milk has been translated into evidence based practice through the development of policy, education, training, and continuous quality improvement. The presentation will demonstrate the translation of an RO1 Grant “Breastfeeding Services for LBW Infants-Outcomes and Cost” (RO1-NR-03881) and related research findings into practice in the clinical arena. The presentation will address issues of breast milk management, feeding of human milk, use of the creamatocrit procedure to measure caloric density of breast milk, skin to skin care, non-nutritive sucking at the empty breast, transitioning to breastfeeding as opposed to bottle feeding, and the use of technological devices such as the nipple shield and the Baby Weigh Scale which have been demonstrated to facilitate breastfeeding. All of the aforementioned areas have been documented in the research literature; however, this has not translated into clinical practice. This presentation will address how institutions can achieve evidence based breastfeeding and human milk practices.
Back to Innovation Using Evidence-Based Practice
Back to International Evidence-Based Practice Preconference
Sigma Theta Tau International
9 July 2003