Tag: Maternity

Dashboards: Breastfeeding Intention and Duration Indicators

The Breastfeeding Intention and Duration Indicators are key measures used to track breastfeeding practices and intentions among new mothers. These indicators include plans to breastfeed exclusively or in combination with formula, actual breastfeeding activities, and breastfeeding duration up to three months. They exclude mothers whose infants were not living with them at the survey time, ensuring data accuracy. These indicators help shape effective breastfeeding support programs, inform policy decisions.

Introduction

Breastfeeding is a critical component of infant health, providing essential nutrients and antibodies that help protect against infections and diseases. To monitor and improve breastfeeding practices, it’s essential to have accurate indicators that reflect breastfeeding intentions and behaviors. This blog post delves into key breastfeeding indicators, defining terms and outlining the criteria for inclusion and exclusion in related data surveys.

Breastfeeding Intention and Duration Indicators

1. Intended to Breastfeed

This indicator captures the mother’s or parent’s plan before delivery regarding breastfeeding. Specifically, it includes those who planned to either exclusively breastfeed or combine breastfeeding with formula feeding. It’s important to note that mothers or parents whose infants did not reside with them at the time of the survey are excluded from the denominator. This exclusion ensures that the data reflects the intentions of those who were in a position to breastfeed their child.

2. Intended to Breastfeed Exclusively

This indicator focuses on the mother’s or parent’s plan to exclusively breastfeed before delivery, without the use of formula or other supplements. Similar to the previous indicator, mothers or parents whose infants did not reside with them at the time of the survey are excluded from the denominator. This approach helps in accurately assessing the intention to exclusively breastfeed among those who had the opportunity to do so.

3. Ever Breastfed

The “ever breastfed” indicator refers to any instance of breastfeeding or feeding of breast milk by the mother or parent since the birth of the child. This broad indicator captures any initial breastfeeding activity and excludes mothers or parents whose infants did not reside with them at the time of the survey. By doing so, it ensures that the data accurately represents those who had the chance to initiate breastfeeding.

4. Any Breastfeeding at 3 Months

This indicator measures the extent to which infants are fed breast milk for at least three months after delivery. It includes both exclusive breastfeeding and breastfeeding combined with formula, other liquids, or food. The infant’s age is calculated from the date of birth on the birth certificate. Mothers or parents whose infants did not reside with them or whose infants were not yet three months old at the time the survey was completed are excluded from the denominator. This exclusion helps maintain the relevance and accuracy of the data by focusing on those who reached the three-month milestone.

Importance of Accurate Indicators

Accurate breastfeeding indicators are crucial for several reasons:

  1. Policy and Program Development: Reliable data helps policymakers and healthcare providers develop targeted programs to support breastfeeding mothers and improve breastfeeding rates.
  2. Resource Allocation: Understanding breastfeeding intentions and behaviors allows for better allocation of resources, ensuring that support systems are in place where they are most needed.
  3. Public Health Insights: These indicators provide valuable insights into public health trends, enabling better planning and intervention strategies to promote infant health and well-being.

Conclusion

Breastfeeding indicators play a vital role in understanding and improving breastfeeding practices. By clearly defining terms and carefully excluding certain groups from the denominator, these indicators provide accurate and meaningful data. This data, in turn, supports efforts to promote breastfeeding, contributing to better health outcomes for both mothers and infants. As we continue to monitor and analyze breastfeeding trends, we can work towards creating a more supportive environment for breastfeeding families.

Access: Breastfeeding Intention and Duration

Breastfeeding Intention and Duration Indicators

Intended to Breastfeed: This indicator measures the mother’s or parent’s plan before delivery to either exclusively breastfeed or to combine breastfeeding with formula. Excluded from this measure are mothers/parents whose infants did not reside with them at the time of the survey.


Intended to Breastfeed Exclusively: This captures the mother’s or parent’s pre-delivery plan to solely breastfeed without any formula or supplements. Mothers/parents whose infants were not living with them at the time of the survey are excluded.


Ever Breastfed: This indicator reflects any instance of breastfeeding or feeding of breast milk by the mother/parent since the birth of the infant. It excludes mothers/parents whose infants did not reside with them at the time of the survey.


Any Breastfeeding at 3 Months: This measure looks at whether the mother/parent fed their infant breast milk for at least three months after delivery, with or without supplementing with formula, other liquids, or food. Infants not yet three months old or not residing with their mother/parent at the time of the survey are excluded.


Importance of These Indicators
These breastfeeding indicators are crucial for developing support programs, informing policy decisions, and enhancing public health initiatives. They provide accurate insights into breastfeeding behaviors and intentions, helping to promote better health outcomes for both mothers and infants.

Birth Count Query System (Florida)

The Birth Count Query System is a highly useful online tool provided by the Florida Department of Health. It offers a plethora of data on birth counts in Florida, and can be accessed easily through this link: https://www.flhealthcharts.gov/FLQUERY_New/Birth/Count.

This comprehensive tool is an excellent resource for researchers and analysts who are interested in delving deeper into birth trends in Florida. The system provides data that is updated regularly, offering a wealth of information on birth counts across different areas of the state, as well as various demographics. By using this system, researchers and analysts can gain valuable insights into the factors that affect birth rates in Florida, and can make informed decisions based on the data provided by the tool. Additionally, the system can also be used to identify areas where further research is needed, helping to drive innovation in the field of birth rate analysis.

Supporting breastfeeding employees is good for business

Business case for breast-feeding

Breastfeeding employees miss work less often

Business Savings: One-day absences to care for sick children occur more than twice as often for mothers of formula feeding infants.1

Breastfeeding lowers healthcare cost 2,3

Business Savings: The insurance company CIGNA conducted a 2-year study of 343 employees who participated in their lactation support program, and found that the program resulted in an annual savings of $240,000 in health care expenses, 62 percent fewer prescriptions, and $60,000 savings in reduced absenteeism rates.4

Investing in a worksite lactation support program can yield substantial dividends to the company.

Lower Turnover Rates

Business Savings: Studies have shown companies with lactation support programs have retention rates of between 83% and 94% compared to the national average of only 59%5,6,7

Additional Health Care Savings

Business Savings: Mutual of Omaha found that health care costs for newborns are three times lower for babies whose mothers participate in their company’s maternity and lactation program. Per person health care costs were $2,146 more for employees who did not participate in the program, with a yearly savings of $115,881 in health care claims for the breastfeeding mothers and babies.1

Higher Productivity and Loyalty 8

Business Savings: The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power found that a lactation support program for mothers, fathers, and partners of male employees made a dramatic difference in reducing turnover and absenteeism rates for both male and female workers. Employees felt more positive about the company as a result of the program and 67% intended to make it their long term employer. 9

Companies with worksite lactation support programs enjoy positive public relations.

What are the components of a successful Worksite Lactation Program?

A comprehensive program that includes the following four components has been shown in business environments to provide the greatest return on investment:

1. Privacy for mothers to express milk.
This can be a woman’s private office (if it can be locked) or an onsite, designated lactation room with an electrical outlet where breastfeeding employees can use a pump to express milk during the work period.
2. Flexible breaks
Women need to express milk about every 3 hours, or two to three times during a typical work day. Each milk expression time takes around 15 minutes, plus time to go to and from the lactation room.
3. Education
Employer-provided information and resources accessible through the worksite during pregnancy and after the baby is born help prepare women for balancing the requirements for breastfeeding with their job responsibilities. This information is also beneficial for expectant fathers. Companies that provide lactation information and support for male employees and their partners have lower absenteeism rates among men and lower health insurance claims.
4. Support
A positive, accepting attitude from upper management, supervisors, and coworkers helps breastfeeding employees feel confident in their ability to continue working while breastfeeding.

References:

1. Cohen R, Mrtek MB & Mrtek RG. (1995). Comparison of maternal absenteeism and infant illness rates among breastfeeding and formula-feeding women in two corporations. American Journal of Health Promotion, 10 (2), 148-153.

2. Ball T & Wright A. (1999). Health care costs of formula- feeding in the first year of life. Pediatrics, 103 (4), 871-876.

3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2007). Breastfeeding and maternal and infant health outcomes in developed countries. Evidence report, Technology Assessment, Number 153.

4. Dickson V, Hawkes C, Slusser W, Lange L, & Cohen R. (2000). The positive impact of a corporate lactation program on breastfeeding initiation and duration rates: help for the working mother. Unpublished manuscript. Presented at the Annual Seminar for Physicians, co-sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and La Leche League International, on July 21, 2000.

5. Mutual of Omaha. (2001). Prenatal and lactation education reduces newborn health care costs. Omaha, NE: Mutual of Omaha

6. Ortiz, J, McGilligan K, & Kelly P. (2004). Duration of breast milk expression among working mothers enrolled in an employer-sponsored lactation program. Pediatric Nursing, 30(2):111-119.

7. EEO Trust. (2001). New Zealand’s Best Employers in Work and Life 2001. Auckland, NZ.

8. Galtry J. (1997). Lactation and the labor market: breastfeeding, labor market changes, and public policy in the United States. Health Care Women Int., 18, 467-480.

9. Cohen R, Lange L & Slusser W. (2002). A description of a male-focused breastfeeding promotion corporate lactation program. Journal of Human Lactation, 18(1), 61-65.

10. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2005) Division of Labor Force Statistics, Washington, D.C. Available at: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/famee.pdf

11. National Immunization Survey. (2005). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available online at: http://www.cdc.gov/ breastfeeding/data/NIS_data/data_2005.htm 12. Slusser W. et al. (2004). Breast milk expression in the. workplace: a look at frequency and times. Journal of Human Lactation 20(2):164-169.

12. The Business Case for Breastfeeding Toolkit (2011) Department of Health and Human Services, USA. Available at: http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/government-in-action/business-case-for-breastfeeding/