Evidence Level: Emerging. Aligns with MCHbest strategy "Family Leave, Workplace Policies, State Laws". Find other NPM 4 strategies in MCHbest.
Alignment with field-based evidence through Innovation Hub: Emerging. Aligns with Bresatfeeding web-based training course as documented by the BreastfeedingTraining.org (VA) program in AMCHP's Innovation Hub. Cutting Edge. Aligns with Workplace Policy as documented by the Reducing Breastfeeding Disparities in California Through Lactation Accommodation Workgroup (CA) program in AMCHP's Innovation Hub.
Measurement Quadrant: Quadrant 1: Measuring quantity of effort (counts and "yes/no" activities)
Service Type: Enabling services level of pyramid
Essential Public Health Services: 3. Inform and educate the public
Service Recipient: Activities related to systems-building
Goal: Improve healthy infant development through breastfeeding and caregiver/infant bonding
Numerator: Total views on the CBC and CWA websites per Title V reporting year
Denominator:
Significance: Breastfeeding improves maternal and infant wellbeing and reduces health care costs since it is associated with reductions in the prevalence of obesity, diabetes; it is also associated with better child development and post-pregnancy maternal health. Additionally, there are cost savings from better retention of experienced workers, higher employee morale, greater loyalty and productivity of employees, reduction in absenteeism and sick leave taken by parents of young children, and lower costs for health care and health insurance. While the percentage of employers having lactation support programs has increased over the past decade, many women still find it difficult to combine breastfeeding with work. The evidence demonstrates that supportive policies and programs at the workplace enable women to continue providing human milk for their infants for significant periods after they return to work, (Ref. The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding. 2011. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK52682/). High-quality lactation programs go beyond just providing time and space for breast milk expression, but also provide employees with breastfeeding education, access to lactation consultation, and equipment such as high-grade, electric breast pumps. In California, the proportion of women reporting receiving lactation accommodation has increased from 52% in 2011 to 66% in 2016, but significant disparities exist by race/ethnicity and income. (California Pediatric Obesity Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network. Lactation Support for Low-Wage Workers. 2020. Published by the California WIC Association, California Breastfeeding Coalition, and California Department of Public Health. https://www.calwic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Lactation-Accommodation-Brief-201210.pdf)
Data Sources and Data Issues: California Breastfeeding Coalition (CBC) and California WIC Association Web analytics
Year: 2023
Unit Type: Count, Unit Number: 10,000
