10 years after baby-friendly designation: breastfeeding rates continue to increase in a US neonatal intensive care unit

Abstract

Background: Mothers of preterm and sick infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) often encounter more difficulties with breastfeeding than mothers of healthy term newborns. The extent to which Baby-Friendly designation is associated with breastfeeding rates for NICU infants over time is unknown.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the rate of breastfeeding initiation and continuation in a US, inner-city, level 3 NICU 10 years after Baby-Friendly designation.

Methods: We compared the rate of breastfeeding initiation and continuation among breastfeeding-eligible mothers with infants admitted to the Boston Medical Center NICU in 1999 and 2009, using chi-square tests.

Results: Breastfeeding initiation increased from 74% in 1999 to 85% in 2009 (P = .04). Any breast milk at 2 weeks of age increased from 66% to 80% (P = .05), and exclusive breastfeeding at 2 weeks remained stable between 1999 and 2009. Breastfeeding initiation increased from 68% to 86% among black mothers from 1999 to 2009 (P = .01).

Conclusion: Improvement in breastfeeding initiation and any breastfeeding at 2 weeks of age continued 10 years after Baby-Friendly designation among mothers with NICU infants in a US, inner-city, level 3 NICU.

Keywords: Baby-Friendly hospital; breastfeeding; neonatal intensive care unit; preterm infants.