By January 2018, increase the number of hospitals in Arkansas who have achieved Baby-Friendly designation from two to six.
2 Year Objective
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- Ongoing
- Complete!
2 Year Objective
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- Ongoing
- Complete!
By March 2017, provide both live and broadcast quarterly lunchtime learning sessions to moms preparing for a return to work or currently pumping at their worksite.
2 Year Objective
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- Ongoing
- Complete!
By October 2017, a free, one-hour breastfeeding basics for parents class will be offered via telehealth.
2 Year Objective
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- Ongoing
- Complete!
By October 2017, a statewide IBCLC resource guide will be in place on the Healthy Active Arkansas website to enable moms across the state to access breastfeeding help in their community.
Encourage Breastfeeding
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- Ongoing
- Complete!
Develop programs, provide support, and build awareness that breastfeeding is the optimal way of providing young infants with nutrients they need for healthy growth and development.
Action Steps
- Promote evidence-based breastfeeding education and certification programs for medical providers, including students of health care professions.
- Create a statewide resource guide for International Board Certified Lactation Consultant breastfeeding support.
- Provide adequate inpatient and outpatient lactation support for all women who give birth in Arkansas.
- Establish reimbursement for lactation consultation from public and private insurance plans.
- Provide evidence-based education for families to promote breastfeeding with a focus on low-income Arkansans.
More "Baby-Friendly" Hospitals
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- Ongoing
- Complete!
Encourage adoption of “baby friendly” guidelines as outlined by The CDC Guide to Strategies to Support Breastfeeding Mothers and Babies.
Action Steps
- Promote the concept and benefit of "baby friendly" to all birthing facilities.
- Establish incentives and recognition for facilities that achieve baby-friendly status.
Encourage Breastfeeding in Health Care Settings
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- Ongoing
- Complete!
Develop awareness and encourage limitations on the marketing practices of infant formula.
Acton Steps
- Review and adopt policy elements as they relate to The World Health Organization's International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes as reflected in the CDC Guide to Strategies to Support Breastfeeding Mothers and Babies.
- Promote these policies to hospital corporate compliance departments and physician practices.
Encourage Day Care Centers to Offer Breastfeeding Support
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- Ongoing
- Complete!
Ensure support for breastfeeding within child care centers.
Action Steps
- Increase the number of child care centers that provide support for their breastfeeding employees and breastfeeding mothers of the babies within their care.
- Create policies to ensure all child care facilities are breastfeeding friendly.
Community Support for Breastfeeding
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- Ongoing
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Generate breastfeeding support within the community.
Action Steps
- Advocate for community and public spaces to provide safe and welcoming areas for mothers to nurse or express milk for their children.
Breastfeeding Campaigns
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- Ongoing
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Create breastfeeding campaigns that recognize the cultural diversity of communities.
Action Steps
- Develop culturally relevant media efforts that include virtual and in-person tactics that will promote breastfeeding.
- Raise awareness of all Arkansas laws that eliminate barriers and promote a mother's right to breastfeed.
Breastfeeding Support at Work
- Not started
- Not applicable
- Ongoing
- Complete!
Work with employers to develop worksite lactation support programs.
Action Steps
- Raise awareness of Arkansas Act 621 of 2009 as well as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's break time requirement for nursing mothers to express breast milk.
- Provide outreach and education to businesses on the positive aspects of breastfeeding for employers and employees via roundtable forums, fact sheets, and speakers' bureaus.
- Promote use of HRSA Business case for breastfeeding toolkit among human resource professionals and the State Chamber of Commerce.
- Recognize businesses that go above and beyond what is required in breastfeeding support.