Breastfeeding

We believe that breastfeeding, when possible, is the preferred method of feeding babies and children. Our projects and collaborative efforts seek to improve the health and well-being of West Virginia’s maternal and infant populations through increased initiation and duration rates of breastfeeding. Explore some of our collaborative projects that are working toward that goal:

West Virginia Breastfeeding Alliance

The Partnership and the West Virginia Breastfeeding Alliance (WVBA) provide a wide variety of educational opportunities throughout the state on the importance of breastfeeding. They also have honored hospitals and birthing facilities that have improved breastfeeding rates by joining the national Ban the Bags campaign to stop distributing bags of infant formula materials. Find out more about efforts to increase breastfeeding in the state of West Virginia at wvbreastfeeding.org

ZipMilk

ZipMilk is a site that provides listings for chest/breastfeeding resources sorted by ZIP Code. It is designed for use by consumers interesting in help or support for chest/breastfeeding, as well as by providers who want to give their clients access to such resources. These resources are not a substitute for medical advice.

For more information visit: zipmilk.org.

Breastfeeding Specialist Training

Physicians and other healthcare providers working in maternal and child health (obstetrics, pediatrics, family practice) need knowledge and skills in breastfeeding management to best support their patients. The WVPP and WBVA work together to increase Prenatal Breastfeeding Education and Promotion by:

• Offering webinars for prenatal providers.
• Providing assistance with the pathway to obtaining International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) designation.
• Providing training modules, and comprehensive courses for clinical Breastfeeding Medicine scholarships.

Baby Friendly

Every hospital that attains the Baby-Friendly designation moves WV closer to increasing the proportion of live births that occur in facilities that provide recommended care for lactating mothers and their babies. In West Virginia, 8.1% of all deliveries occurred at Baby-Friendly designated facilities in 2018. The Healthy People 2020 goal is 8.1%.

For more information visit: babyfriendlyusa.org.