August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, a time to recognize the potential benefits of breastfeeding for both parent and child. The last full week of August has been dedicated to Black Breastfeeding Week and Indigenous Milk Medicine Week receives its own focus.
Studies have cited numerous mental and physical benefits of breastfeeding, including mitigating post-partum depression, protection against short and long-term illnesses like asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes for mothers, and sudden infant death syndrome. Despite these benefits, nursing parents still face barriers to successful breastfeeding, some of which originate within the healthcare ecosystem. Providers and payers can help promote successful breastfeeding education, access, and strategies to their patients and members.
How does the healthcare ecosystem impact breastfeeding success?
According to the International Breastfeeding Journal, common barriers to breastfeeding include exhaustion, isolation, time commitment, and social determinants of health, including education, employment, neighborhood, and housing. While some of these barriers are outside of the healthcare provider's control, organizations and caregivers can play a crucial role in supporting breastfeeding parents.
Though reports indicate that access to “baby-friendly” hospitals has been increasing, not all healthcare providers are equipped to provide adequate breastfeeding support. The National Library of Medicine notes that some hospitals may inadvertently harm breastfeeding outcomes through practices such as early formula supplementation and separation of mother and baby, post-partum separation of mother and baby (as in the case of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic to control disease spread).
This is particularly concerning for Black and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations, which already face significant disparities in breastfeeding rates. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black and AI/AN mothers face ongoing disparities in breastfeeding initiation:
- 73.6% of Black mothers initiate breastfeeding, compared to 90.3% of Asian mothers.
- In 13 states the rate of initiation was lowest for infants of AI/AN and multiracial mothers.
Patient education and post-partum care
Lack of education is a frequent contributor to breastfeeding cessation. Access to lactation consultants and more baby-friendly services varies significantly across the country. Generally, a new parent’s hospital stay represents only a small part of the journey to establishing a successful breastfeeding routine.
In order to drive better success in breastfeeding, especially among mothers of color, access to educational tools across multiple modalities and on demand is a critical step in many patients’ post-partum care.
How do healthcare providers continue to advance breastfeeding support?
Healthcare providers are on the front lines of extending access to breastfeeding support. However, immediate access to a physician is not always feasible, or necessary. A trusted technology solution can help scale impact, especially when it provides access to patient-focused content.
When creating programs that provide breastfeeding education for healthcare providers to support new parents, healthcare leaders should consider:
- Clinical content: The educational tools and materials providers are offering to patients must be evidence-based and align with the most current clinical guidelines and recommendations.
- User experience: Great content won’t support a frustrated new parent if it is not easily accessible.
- Respect for a patient’s perspective: Given the racial disparities and cultural differences in breastfeeding success, healthcare providers must select a partner that has a strong track record of providing diverse, equitable, and inclusive content.
Health plans and payers have a role in supporting new moms
Today’s payers play a significant role in their members’ lives and well being. During the crucial first days of motherhood, payers can contribute to the available resources for new parents and help providers with outreach and education.
Breastfeeding education is a natural fit into most payers’ existing care management programs. Like providers, payers must consider several key factors in selecting the tools they offer:
- Alignment: Educational content must align with advice given by providers so members know it can be trusted.
- Access: Outreach should happen where it will be most impactful, whether on a computer or mobile device.
- Inclusivity: Educational tools must feature faces, voices, and languages that address a diverse membership.
Measuring the impact of breastfeeding education for healthcare providers
Upgrading patient and member support program should align with business goals, so payers and providers alike should make a strong business case for these initiatives.
An UpToDate® Patient Engagement solutions survey of more than 3,000 parents-to-be conducted over three years highlighted some key results:
- Nearly 70% of participants said the program increased their confidence to ask questions.
- More than 70% ranked the program as the most helpful tool they’d used in preparing for breastfeeding.
- Nearly 75% of respondents said the program improved their opinion of the organization that offered it.
- 86% said the program motivated them to take new actions related to their health.
Identifying the right partner for breastfeeding awareness outreach
Breastfeeding support requires the right partner to provide aligned, clinically relevant, and trusted content. While many patient education technologies are available, not everyone can fit this bill. UpToDate patient and member engagement solutions provide education and support for a range of health topics, including breastfeeding and beyond, through targeted outreach to patients and members — pre- and post-visit/procedure — helping to drive positive outcomes.
With integrated technology, providers and health plans can provide patients with access to articles, videos, and other supportive content, delivered across multiple channels.
Program users do the best job of illuminating the benefits of this solution. According to one survey respondent, “I learned a lot of information for being a first-time mother. The information will help me when I start breastfeeding.”
Many tools exist to support parents on their breastfeeding journey. Payers and providers alike can help their members and patients overcome breastfeeding barriers.
Learn more about patient and member education and engagement solutions from UpToDate.
