Established Evidence Results

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, Expert Support (Provider),

Intervention Description: The City of Dallas, TA, WIC program collaborated with 3 urban hospitals and developed a training of practical techniques and information for staff to use while working with breastfeeding patients. It recognizes the powerful role that health care workers have in successful BF and the need for competent, hands-on skills to support lactation. The goals of the new collaboration with WIC were to provide staff a supervised clinical experience in a workshop format and provide a venue to practice the information they gained from the didactic education.

Intervention Results: Since implementation, 1,600 workers were trained, 1 hospital achieved Baby-Friendly designation, and all have increased BF rates by 10%.

Conclusion: The City of Dallas, TX, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program collaborated with 3 urban hospitals and developed a training of practical techniques and information for staff to use while working with BF patients. Since implementation, 1,600 workers were trained, 1 hospital achieved Baby-Friendly designation, and all have increased BF rates by 10%.

Study Design: Evaluation data

Setting: Three hospitals in Dallas, TX, and the City of Dallas WIC program

Population of Focus: Physicians, midwives, dietitians, and staff from area hospitals and clinics

Sample Size: 1600 people over three years

Age Range: Adults

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Provider Training/Education, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, ,

Intervention Description: This case study describes an innovative practice model informed by the Collective Impact Model (CIM) designed to promote breastfeeding continuity of care and community support in Central Illinois.

Intervention Results: Numerous breastfeeding support improvements were made at and between CIBPN sites. Breastfeeding rates at the birthing hospital and health center were stable, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusion: This article contributes to the practice-based evidence for breastfeeding support by strengthening continuity of care through a successful application of the CIM by public health practitioners.

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Hospital Policies, Provider Training/Education

Intervention Description: Despite policy and guideline recommendations to support planned, effective postnatal care, national surveys of women's views of maternity care have consistently found in-patient postnatal care, including support for breastfeeding, is poorly rated.

Intervention Results: Post intervention there were statistically significant differences in the initiation (p = 0.050), duration of any breastfeeding (p = 0.020) and duration of exclusive breastfeeding to 10 days (p = 0.038) and duration of any breastfeeding to three months (p = 0.016). Post intervention, women were less likely to report physical morbidity within the first 10 days of birth, and were more positive about their in-patient care.

Conclusion: It is possible to improve outcomes of routine in-patient care within current resources through continuous quality improvement.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: Large maternity unit in the south of England

Population of Focus: Women on the postnatal ward who were >16 years old, able to speak and read English, and who had not experienced a stillbirth or neonatal death

Data Source: Mother self-report

Sample Size: Pretest (n=751/741)3 Posttest (n=725/725)

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT/CONSUMER, Lactation Consultant, PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education

Intervention Description: To evaluate the efficacy of an intervention program to increase breast-feeding in a low-income, inner-city population.

Intervention Results: There was a markedly higher incidence of breast-feeding in the intervention group, as compared with that of the control group (61% vs 32%, respectively; P = .002). The duration of breast-feeding was also significantly longer in the intervention group (P = .005).

Conclusion: This lactation program increased the incidence and duration of breast-feeding in our low-income cohort. We suggest that similar efforts that are applied to analogous populations may increase the incidence and duration of breast-feeding in low-income populations in the United States.

Study Design: RCT

Setting: Maternal-Infant Lactation Center of Pittsburgh (PA)

Population of Focus: Women attending the prenatal clinic of The Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, English-speaking, and nulliparous

Data Source: Mother self-report

Sample Size: Intervention (n=51) Control (n=57)

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Hospital Policies, POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS, COMMUNITY, Community Health Services Policy, Provider Training/Education

Intervention Description: To assess the effectiveness of the Baby Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI) on exclusive breast feeding at 6 months.

Intervention Results: The crude rates of exclusive breast feeding at discharge, 3 and 6 months, and of any breast feeding at 6 and 12 months increased at each round of data collection after baseline in the early and late intervention groups. At the end of the project, 10% of infants were exclusively breast fed at 6 months and 38% were continuing to breast feed at 12 months. However, the comparison by adjusted rates and logistic regression failed to show statistically significant differences between groups and rounds of data collection in the intention-to-treat analysis, as well as when compliance with the intervention and training coverage was taken into account.

Conclusion: The study failed to demonstrate an effect of the BFCI on the rates of breast feeding. This may be due, among other factors, to the time needed to observe an effect on breast feeding following this complex intervention.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest time-lagged nonequivalent control group

Setting: 18 Local Health Authorities (LHAs) in 9 regions of Italy

Population of Focus: Women living in the area covered by LHA, with infants > 2000g, who spoke Italian, English, French, or Spanish (or who had a relative who spoke these languages), and without a postpartum condition that required admission to the NICU

Data Source: Mother self-report

Sample Size: Early Intervention Group5 • Enrolled (n=2846) • 12-month follow-up (n=2474) Late Intervention Group • Enrolled (n=2248) • 12-month follow-up (n=1931)

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Hospital Policies, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, Provider Training/Education

Intervention Description: Breastfeeding rates and related hospital practices need improvement in Italy and elsewhere.

Intervention Results: No statistically significant differences in both groups, before and after training, of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months

Conclusion: Training for at least three days with a course including practical sessions and counselling skills is effective in changing hospital practices, knowledge of health workers, and breastfeeding rates.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest time-lagged nonequivalent control group

Setting: 8 hospitals (3 general hospitals and 1 teaching hospital in southern Italy, 3 general hospitals and 1 teaching hospital in central and northern Italy)

Population of Focus: Women with healthy infants > 2000g

Data Source: Mother self-report

Sample Size: Group 1 • Phase 1 (n=529) • Phase 2 (n=515) • Phase 3 (n=516) Group 2 • Phase 1 (n=483) • Phase 2 (n=342) • Phase 3 (n=284)

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Provider Training/Education, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, ,

Intervention Description: To increase consistency of breastfeeding care and interventions across a large primary care network, we established an Ambulatory Breastfeeding Consortium (ABC) focused on information sharing and discussion centered on care of breastfeeding and lactating families.

Intervention Results: The ABC has been effective in engaging primary care nurses and other clinicians and disseminating information while encouraging discussion on the importance of providing informed care to breastfeeding families.

Conclusion: Although more breastfeeding-specific education is recommended for clinicians, the ABC serves as a model for primary care clinicians to improve their knowledge and provide support for families through education, shared experience, and awareness across many pediatric primary care network sites.

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education

Intervention Description: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of process-oriented training in supportive breastfeeding counseling for midwives and postnatal nurses on the time lapse between the initial breastfeeding session, introduction of breastmilk substitutes and solids, and the duration of breastfeeding.

Intervention Results: The IG mothers had a significantly longer duration of exclusive breastfeeding, even if the initial breastfeeding session did not occur within 2 hours after birth, than the corresponding group of CGA mothers (p=0.01). Fewer infants in the IG received breastmilk substitutes (in the first week of life) without medical reasons compared with the control groups (p=0.01). The IG infants were significantly older (3.8 months) when breastmilk substitutes were introduced (after discharge from the hospital) compared with the infants in the control groups (CGA, 2.3 months, p=0.01; CGB, 2.5 months, p=0.03).

Conclusion: A process-oriented training program for midwives and postnatal nurses was associated with a reduced number of infants being given breastmilk substitutes during the 1st week without medical reasons and delayed the introduction of breastmilk substitutes after discharge from the hospital.

Study Design: Cluster RCT

Setting: 10 municipalities in southwest Sweden

Population of Focus: First time, Swedish-speaking mothers with singleton, healthy, full-term births delivered spontaneously, by vacuum extraction, or by cesarean section, and who had been cared for by a healthcare professional in one of 10 municipalities

Data Source: Mother self-report

Sample Size: 3 Days Postpartum3 • Intervention (n=206/172) • Control Group A (n=162/148) • Control Group B (n=172/160)

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, Quality Improvement/Practice-Wide Intervention, Hospital Policies, Provider Training/Education

Intervention Description: To conduct a national quality improvement initiative between 2011 and 2015. The initiative was entitled Best Fed Beginnings and enrolled 90 hospitals in a nationwide initiative to increase breastfeeding and achieve Baby-Friendly designation.

Intervention Results: Overall breastfeeding increased from 79% to 83% (t = 1.93; P = .057), and exclusive breastfeeding increased from 39% to 61% (t = 9.72; P < .001).

Conclusion: A nationwide initiative of maternity care hospitals accomplished rapid transformative changes to achieve Baby-Friendly designation. These changes were accompanied by a significant increase in exclusive breastfeeding.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: 90 hospitals from 3 geographic regions

Population of Focus: Hospitals with low breastfeeding rates, readiness for change, establishment of a BabyFriendly/breastfeeding steering committee, data about sociodemographic characteristics of population served, geographic location based on regions with low breastfeeding rates and BFHI accreditation, commitment of senior leadership, and experience with quality improvement methods

Data Source: Medical record review

Sample Size: Intervention (N=89) N=hospitals

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, Quality Improvement/Practice-Wide Intervention, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative,

Intervention Description: The Best Fed Beginnings (BFB) initiative was specifically aimed to enable 90 hospitals to earn Baby-Friendly USA assessment scheduled by the end of the collaborative project. Given the size of this initiative, BFB was conducted as 3 simultaneous Breakthrough Series collaborative projects comprising hospitals from 3 geographic regions. Hospitals assembled multidisciplinary teams that included parent partners and community representatives. Three in-person learning sessions were interspersed with remote learning and tests of change, and a Web-based platform housed resources and data for widespread sharing.

Intervention Results: By April 2016, a total of 72 (80%) of the 90 hospitals received the Baby-Friendly designation, nearly doubling the number of designated hospitals in the United States. Participation in the Best Fed Beginnings initiative had significantly high correlation with designation compared with hospital applicants not in the program (Pearson’s r [235]: 0.80; P < .01). Overall breastfeeding increased from 79% to 83% (t = 1.93; P = .057), and exclusive breastfeeding increased from 39% to 61% (t = 9.72; P < .001).

Conclusion: A nationwide initiative of maternity care hospitals accomplished rapid transformative changes to achieve Baby-Friendly designation. These changes were accompanied by a significant increase in exclusive breastfeeding.

Study Design: Evaluation data

Setting: Hospitals nationwide

Population of Focus: Hospitals across the country seeking to achieve Baby-Friendly designation

Sample Size: 90 Baby-Friendly Hospitals

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education

Intervention Description: The purpose of this study was to determine whether educating practitioners affected breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity rates at hospitals with low breastfeeding rates.

Intervention Results: An overall increase in exclusive breastfeeding rates was not statistically significant. In multivariate logistic regression for all hospitals combined, infants born postintervention were significantly more likely to initiate breastfeeding than infants born preintervention (adjusted OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.03-1.69).

Conclusion: Intensive breastfeeding education for health care practitioners can increase breastfeeding initiation rates.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: 4 MA hospitals

Population of Focus: Women with infants born 3-5 months before the intervention and women with infants born 2-4 months after the intervention7

Data Source: Medical record review

Sample Size: Preintervention (n=668) Postintervention (n=679)

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational material, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Quality Improvement/Practice-Wide Intervention, Hospital Policies, Provider Training/Education,

Intervention Description: The purpose of this system-wide quality improvement project was to create a breastfeeding-friendly pediatric practice. This breastfeeding support initiative was implemented at a multisite rural Illinois pediatric practice. The policy included: (a) breastfeeding promotion recommendations; (b) provider, nurse, and staff roles; (c) patient education and resources; and (d) breastfeeding-friendly atmosphere guidelines. An evidence-based breastfeeding policy was developed, staff education sessions were conducted, private lactation rooms were created, and breastfeeding photographs/posters were displayed throughout the offices. Lactation support services were publicized throughout the offices. Lactation support services were publicized via signs and social media postings.

Intervention Results: Overall breastfeeding rates were higher at each time point after implementation. Statistically significant increases occurred at the newborn and 1-month visits, with a modest improvement at 2 and 4 months.

Conclusion: This project demonstrated an improvement in breastfeeding duration rates. It is anticipated that this practice-wide standard of care change will promote breastfeeding throughout the first 12 months of life.

Study Design: Pre-post intervention

Setting: Multisite rural IL pediatric practice

Population of Focus: Mothers with breastfeeding infants from newborn to 4 months seen for well-child visits at a pediatric practice

Sample Size: 71 infants preintervention and 18 infants postintervention

Age Range: Newborn to infants 4 months old

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Hospital Policies, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, Provider Training/Education, Expert Support (Provider),

Intervention Description: In 2010, the Hawaii State Department of Health received support from the CDC to launch the Baby-Friendly Hawaii Project to increase the number of Hawaii hospitals that provide maternity care consistent with the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and increase the rate of women who remain exclusively breastfeeding throughout their hospital stay. The BFHP employed six strategies based on a model developed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: engage hospitals, enlist support, recruit champions, assess hospitals, conduct site visits and trainings, and monitor outcomes. Populations targeted for BFHP were registered nurses, lactation consultants, and other hospital staff, as well as expectant mothers at all 11 Hawaii maternity hospitals during the project period.

Intervention Results: Since 2010, 52 hospital site visits, 58 trainings, and ongoing technical assistance were administered, and more than 750 staff and health professionals from BFHP hospitals were trained. Hawaii’s overall quality composite Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care score increased from 65 (out of 100) in 2009 to 76 in 2011 and 80 in 2013, and Newborn Screening Data showed an increase in statewide exclusive breastfeeding from 59.7% in 2009 to 77.0% in 2014.

Conclusion: Implementation and findings from the BFHP can inform future planning at the state and federal levels on maternity care practices that can improve breastfeeding.

Study Design: Program evaluation

Setting: Maternity hospitals in Hawaii

Population of Focus: Registered nurses, lactation consultants, and other hospital staff and expectant mothers at all 11 Hawaii maternity hospitals

Sample Size: 750 staff and health professionals

Age Range: N/A

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Quality Improvement/Practice-Wide Intervention, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, Educational Material

Intervention Description: To equitably increase exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge among obstetrician/gynecologist resident service clients by 20% over 8 weeks. Design

Intervention Results: Rates of exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge were 7% at baseline and 13% after implementation. Rates of exclusive breastfeeding among Black clients were 0% at baseline and 16% after implementation. Clients demonstrated Baby-Friendly knowledge (teach-back average, 89%) but continued to supplement with formula, most often related to supply concerns (65%).

Conclusion: Intentionally equitable implementation of the Baby-Friendly steps may ameliorate racial disparities in breastfeeding during the early postpartum period. Preparing families to exclusively breastfeed should begin prenatally.

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, Hospital Policies, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, HOSPITAL, Policy/Guideline (Hospital)

Intervention Description: The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's fund, is a global program aimed at promoting, protecting, and supporting breastfeeding. Hospitals in the BFHI community must develop clear policies related to staff training and breastfeeding promotion from pregnancy until hospital discharge following childbirth. The aim of this study was to compare women in non-BFHI-accredited hospitals in a socio-economically homogeneous region of southern Italy (Campania region) with a "baby-friendly hospital," as recognized by UNICEF, in Verbania in the Piedmont region of northern Italy (Castelli Hospital) in terms of 1) breastfeeding in the days following childbirth; 2) the information provided by health personnel before and after childbirth; 3) knowledge about breastfeeding before and during hospitalizations; and 4) participation in antenatal classes.

Intervention Results: In general, both groups showed good basic knowledge about different aspects of breastfeeding. In both regions, about 90% reported that the information received during the antenatal classes simplified the breastfeeding experience.

Conclusion: Our study confirms the importance of systematic promotion of breastfeeding and subsequent delivery of adequate support to maternity departments, in accordance with international guidelines.

Study Design: Evaluation data

Setting: Ten accredited and non-accredited hospitals in the Piedmont region of northern Italy

Population of Focus: Women receiving care at the ten participating hospitals

Sample Size: 786 women (580 in Campania + 206 women in Piedmont)

Age Range: Not reported

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education

Intervention Description: To determine changes in breastfeeding support by prenatal care providers over a 20 year period.

Intervention Results: We had 164 participants (response rate 80%). More current participants, compared to 1993, reported discussing (97% vs. 86%, p < .001) and recommending (93% vs. 80%, p = .001) breastfeeding. Only 10% of 2015 participants gave infant formula samples, compared with 34% in 1993 (p < .0001). Improvement in the support score was seen, with 98% of current participants having high scores compared to 87% in 1993 (p < .001). Similar numbers reported receiving breastfeeding education, though more reported that the education was inadequate (54% vs. 19%, p < .0001).

Conclusion: Breastfeeding support improved significantly over time, even though breastfeeding education has not improved in quality or quantity. Improving education of prenatal care providers may help future providers be more prepared to support breastfeeding.

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Provider Training/Education, PATIENT_CONSUMER, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Educational Material (Provider), Peer Counselor

Intervention Description: To evaluate changes in referrals to Women, Infants, and Children’s Supplemental Nutrition Program peer counselors, reported prenatal provider education and support, and breastfeeding outcomes (intention, initiation, 1-month duration of any and exclusive breastfeeding) after a prenatal breastfeeding promotion intervention.

Intervention Results: Pre-intervention (n = 71) and post-intervention (n = 70) participants were 49% Black, 61% publicly insured, and 16% uninsured. More post-intervention participants had > 1 Toolkit use (76%), peer counselor program referrals (60.0% post vs. 36.6% pre, p < .01), reported any breastfeeding intention (89% vs. 72%, p = .013), and intended to breastfeed for > 1 year (31% vs. 14%, p = .014). Post-intervention breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity were higher, but not significantly different. Post-intervention participants reported better prenatal breastfeeding supp

Conclusion: Implementing a prenatal Breastfeeding Toolkit, including facilitating peer counselor referral, was associated with increases in provider counseling, participants’ breastfeeding intentions, and uptake of peer counselors. Replicating this approach may reinforce efforts to support breastfeeding in similar practices serving women with lower incomes.

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Provider Training/Education, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Telelactation,

Intervention Description: Telehealth simulation has shown to be acceptable and helpful in teaching clinical reasoning, increasing exposure to telehealth experiences, and preparing nursing students for real interaction experiences with patients.

Intervention Results: A total of 205 students completed the evaluation. Most students (n = 136, 66.3%) were not familiar with telehealth prior to the simulation. Most students (n = 199, 97.1%) also found the simulation helpful for supporting breastfeeding mothers and wanted more telehealth simulations in the future (n = 162, 79%). Feedback for improving the simulations included: improving the technical setup (n = 17, 8.3%), increasing the time that students interacted with the mother (n = 16, 7.8%), and observing the correct performance of the simulation after debriefing (n = 16, 7.8%).

Conclusion: Telehealth simulation is a promising modality for clinical competency assessment, thus it is essential to integrate telehealth education into nursing curriculum. It is evident that telehealth-based breastfeeding simulations can be used to address the exposure/knowledge gap among nursing students who are missing or have limited exposure to breastfeeding content and telehealth use in their nursing curriculum.

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education

Intervention Description: The objective of this study was to determine whether a 3-day training program for maternity ward professionals was followed by an increase in duration of any breastfeeding.

Intervention Results: The prevalence of any breastfeeding at birth was 77.5 percent (70.5%-83.6%) in the pre-intervention sample and 82.6 percent (76.2%-87.8%) in the post-intervention sample(p=0.24); the median duration of any breastfeeding was 13 weeks and 16 weeks, respectively(chi2 log-rank test=5.8, p=0.02). The decreased risk of weaning in the post-intervention sample persisted after adjustment for baseline characteristics (adjusted hazard ratio=0.70 [0.54-0.91]). It was paralleled by significant improvement in maternity ward practices that are known to affect the duration of breastfeeding.

Conclusion: An intensive 3-day training program for maternity ward professionals can be followed by a significant but moderate increase in the duration of any breastfeeding. Multifaceted interventions involving prenatal components and community support should be planned in Western countries with low to intermediate prevalence of breastfeeding.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: Level 3 maternity ward of a French teaching hospital

Population of Focus: Women with no severe illnesses contraindicating breastfeeding who gave birth to a healthy singleton infant at ≥ 37 weeks GA and ≥ 2500 g

Data Source: Medical record review

Sample Size: Preintervention (n=169) Postintervention (n=178)

Age Range: Not specified

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Provider Training/Education, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, ,

Intervention Description: Continuing education for Nevada WIC professionals with the online HUG Your Baby course Roadmap to Breastfeeding Success was implemented.

Intervention Results: Results showed significant improvement in knowledge about infant behavior and development, confidence in identifying and responding to infant behavior, and the positive integration of HUG resources into the professionals’ work.

Conclusion: Lack of knowledge on the impact of infant development and behavior on breastfeeding affects both professionals and the clients they serve. Continuing education for Nevada WIC professionals with the online HUG Your Baby course Roadmap to Breastfeeding Success was implemented.

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Provider Training/Education, Quality Improvement/Practice-Wide Intervention,

Intervention Description: In Tennessee, a statewide, multidisciplinary development team reviewed evidence from the "Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding" to create a consensus toolkit of process indicators. The Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care (TIPQC) is a statewide perintatal quality collaborative seeking to improve health outcomes for mothers and infants through large-scale quality improvement (QI) initiatives. All teams met in monthly webinar huddles (online group discussions), semiannual regional learning sessions, and an annual statewide TIPQC collaborative meeting. Monthly webinar meetings for the participating hospitals were held online, hosted and led by TIPQC and state leaders.

Intervention Results: Thirteen hospitals accounting for 47% of live births in Tennessee submitted data on 31,183 mother–infant dyads from August 1, 2012, to December 31, 2013. Aggregate monthly mean PC-05 demonstrated “special cause” improvement increasing from 37.1% to 41.2%, an 11.1% relative increase. Five hospitals reported implementation of ≥5 of the Ten Steps and two hospitals reported ≥90% reliability on ≥5 of the Ten Steps using locally designed process audits.

Conclusion: Using large-scale improvement methodology, a successful statewide collaborative led to >10% relative increase in breastfeeding exclusivity at discharge in participating Tennessee hospitals. Further opportunities for improvement in implementing breastfeeding supportive practices were identified.

Study Design: Evaluation data

Setting: Hospitals in TN

Population of Focus: Hospitals located in the Mississippi River Delta or Appalachia in TN

Sample Size: 13 hospitals with data on 31,183 mother-infant dyads

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT/CONSUMER, Educational Material, Other Education, Provision of Breastfeeding Item, PROVIDER/PRACTICE, Hospital Policies, Other (Provider Practice), POPULATION-BASED SYSTEMS, COMMUNITY, Other (Communities), Provider Training/Education

Intervention Description: A breastfeeding promotion program conducted on the Navajo reservation.

Intervention Results: Based on medical records review of feeding practices of all the infants born the year before (n = 988) and the year after (n = 870) the intervention, the program was extremely successful.

Conclusion: This combination of techniques, including qualitative and quantitative research into local definitions of the problem, collaboration with local institutions and individuals, reinforcement of traditional understandings about infant feeding, and institutional change in the health care system, is an effective way of facilitating behavioral change.

Study Design: QE: pretest-posttest

Setting: Shiprock, NM

Population of Focus: All mothers with infants born at the Shiprock hospital

Data Source: Medical record review

Sample Size: Preintervention (n=988) Postintervention (n=870)

Age Range: Not specified