scholarly journals Identifying Barriers and Supports to Breastfeeding in the Workplace Experienced by Mothers in the New Hampshire Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Utilizing the Total Worker Health Framework

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Lauer ◽  
Karla Armenti ◽  
Margaret Henning ◽  
Lissa Sirois
Keyword(s):  
New Hampshire ◽  
Maternity Leave ◽  
Infants And Children ◽  
Breastfeeding Duration ◽  
Breastfeeding Initiation ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Nutrition Program ◽  
Worker Health ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Program ◽  
Total Worker Health

Variations in the barriers and contributors to breastfeeding across industries have not been well characterized for vulnerable populations such as mothers participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Our study used the Total Worker Health Framework to characterize workplace factors acting as barriers and/or contributors to breastfeeding among women participating in the New Hampshire WIC. Surveys were collected from WIC mothers (n = 682), which asked about employment, industry, and workplace accommodation and supports related to breastfeeding in the workplace. We found workplace policy factors supporting breastfeeding (i.e., having paid maternity leave, other maternity leave, and a breastfeeding policy) varied by industry. Women in specific service-oriented industries (i.e., accommodation and retail) reported the lowest rates of breastfeeding initiation and workplace supports for breastfeeding and pumping. Further, how a woman hoped to feed and having a private pumping space at work were significantly associated with industry, breastfeeding initiation, and breastfeeding duration. A substantial portion of women reported being not sure about their workplace environment, policies, and culture related to breastfeeding. Additional studies with larger sample sizes of women participating in WIC are needed to further characterize the barriers to breastfeeding associated with specific industries.

Another Look at WIC’s Breastfeeding Data: State Totals Reveal More Than Regional Averages

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shari Salzhauer Berkowitz
Keyword(s):  
Native American ◽  
Local Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
Regional Level ◽  
Infants And Children ◽  
Fiscal Year ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Nutrition Program ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Program

Background: Breastfeeding is known to be the most beneficial way of feeding infants, but 68% of the infants enrolled in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children are fully formula fed. Mandated annual reports about breastfeeding aggregate data from the states into regions, which obscures important information. Research Aim: The aim of this study is to reexamine the data supplied by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children to identify which areas of the United States have the lowest incidence of breastfeeding infants. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted. Data from the Breastfeeding Data Local Agency Report were extracted, graphed, and analyzed. Results: Data provided from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children for fiscal year 2016 show that the range of fully formula fed infants at the regional level is 60% to 78%, while at the state level the range is wider, at 51% to 89%. The states with the largest numbers of fully formula fed infants were Mississippi (89%), Louisiana (88%), Alabama (88%), and Arkansas (87%). When examining data from all 90 reporting agencies, the range of fully formula fed infants was 38% to 95%. Conclusions: Aggregating state, Native American nation, and territorial data at the regional level resulted in a loss of important information. WIC’s current breastfeeding interventions may be more effective in some areas than others. Future research can examine successful and unsuccessful interventions on a state or local level.

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