Work

Perspectives on Promoting Breastmilk Feedings for Premature Infants During a Quality Improvement Project

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: This study investigated clinicians' perspectives during a quality improvement project to promote breastmilk feedings in premature infants. STUDY DESIGN: From 2009 to 2010, 11 hospitals in the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative participated in a project to promote breastmilk feedings in premature infants. Audio recordings of monthly meetings held to encourage sharing of ideas were analyzed using qualitative methods to identify common themes related to barriers and solutions to breastmilk feeding promotion. RESULTS: Two broad categories were noted: communication and team composition. Communication subthemes included (1) communication among hospital staff, including consistent documentation, (2) communication with family, and (3) communication between transfer hospitals. Team composition subthemes included (4) importance of physician buy-in and (5) integrated teams designed to empower leaders. CONCLUSIONS: Optimizing communication among health professionals and parents and improving team composition may be key components of facilitating breastmilk feeding promotion in premature infants.

Source: Breastfeeding Medicine

DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2012.0056

Authors: Henry Chong Lee, Sarah Martin-Anderson, Audrey Lyndon, R. Adams Dudley

Institutions: University of California, San Francisco, University of California System, California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, University of California, Berkeley, Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies

Language: English

Topic: Breastfeeding Practices and Influences

Subfield: Epidemiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Zero hunger

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development