Happy Mother’s Day – Teaching Moms to Breastfeed Earns Recognition for Kaiser Permanente

PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Just in time for Mother’s Day, Kaiser Permanente Southern California and Northern California regions were honored this week by the California Breastfeeding Coalition (CBC) for being a leader in innovation and excellence in helping new moms learn how to breastfeed, and how to successfully continue nursing their babies once they get home, making for happier mothers and healthier babies.

“Nursing not only encourages early mother and child bonding, but studies have shown that breastfeeding helps protect babies against lower-respiratory-tract infections, middle-ear infections, eczema, diarrhea and childhood obesity,” said Timothy Horton, MD, Chief of Pediatrics at Riverside’s Kaiser Permanente hospital.

According to the CBC, it takes about two weeks for the breast milk supply to become established, making this a difficult and challenging time for new moms. Providing timely information and encouragement from lactation specialists can make all the difference.

“A key factor that contributes to successfully establishing the breast milk supply balance between mother and child is eliminating the use of formula,” said Karen Peters, a member of the leadership team for the CBC. “Kaiser Permanente is a leader in helping new mothers through this critical step. They are not marketing formula; they are marketing health.”

“The hospital’s rate of mothers who nurse initially is up to 90 percent, with an exclusive breastfeeding rate at discharge from the hospital of 60%. Up to 50% continue for the first six months,” said Karen Jenkins, RN, Clinical Perinatal Director, for Kaiser Permanente’s Riverside Medical Center, who accepted the award on behalf of the Riverside team and the Southern California region.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children up to 6 months old should be fed exclusively mother’s milk, then complementary foods rich in iron should be gradually introduced. Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also established national objectives for breastfeeding.

Kaiser Permanente also has four medical centers that have earned the distinction as “baby-friendly hospitals” in Clackamas, Oregon; Hayward, California; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Riverside, California. There are 18 baby-friendly designated hospitals in California, and 63 in the United States.

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to encourage and recognize hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for lactation. The BFHI assists hospitals in giving breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies and gives special recognition to hospitals that have done so. For more information on the 10 steps that hospitals and birthing centers must complete, go to http://www.babyfriendlyusa.org/eng/10steps.html

More about the California Breastfeeding Coalition: The California Breastfeeding Coalition (CBC), formed in May 2003, serves as an umbrella organization for the 34 regional breastfeeding coalitions located throughout California. The CBC aims, through collaborative efforts, to create a more healthful California through the promotion and support of breastfeeding. The CBC is sponsored by the California WIC Association (CWA). The CWA works closely with the member local breastfeeding coalitions across the state. CWA provides support to the CBC and local coalitions with strategic planning for increasing legislative capacity, advocacy training, needs assessment, sponsorship solicitation for the CBC, and communications support.

More about Kaiser Permanente: Kaiser Permanente is America’s leading integrated health plan. Founded in 1945, it is a nonprofit, group practice prepayment program with Southern California headquarters in Pasadena, California. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of 3.3 million members in Southern California. Today it encompasses the nonprofit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.; Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries; and the for-profit Southern California Permanente Medical Group. Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California Region includes more than 49,900 technical, administrative and clerical employees and caregivers, and more than 6,000 physicians representing all specialties.

More information about Kaiser Permanente can be found at www.kaiserpermanente.org