Using Data to Inform Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergency Preparedness Systems

Suzan Ajlouni, USBC Public Health Writing Specialist

​September is National Preparedness Month, offering an important opportunity to shed light on the ways the systems in our country can be better prepared and equipped to support families to safely feed their babies and start or continue human milk feeding when a crisis occurs. We begin by reviewing the most recent data available. ​

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The Importance of Data in Infant Nutrition Security

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new breastfeeding data from the National Immunization Survey-Child (NIS-Child) in August. The new NIS-Child infant feeding rates and characteristics are based on data collected on U.S. births in 2020. This includes babies born during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which there were shifts in maternal and neonatal clinical practices that are important to consider when examining breastfeeding rates. 

The latest data shows that among babies born in 2020, 83.1% were ever breastfed and 25.4% were exclusively breastfed through 6 months, while 20.8% of breastfed infants were supplemented with infant formula before they were 2 days old, 33.3% were supplemented before they were 3 months old, and 37.3% were supplemented before they were 6 months old. A decade ago, supplementation rates were lower: 17.1% before 2 days, 29.2% before 3 months, and 34.9% before 6 months. Learn more.

We recognize disruptions in breastfeeding support during these early days of the COVID-19 pandemic made it especially challenging for many families to establish the human milk feeding relationship and barriers to support were exacerbated in some communities. Health disparities are often magnified in times of crisis, so all communities benefit from engaging with systems of preparedness to protect the safety of their youngest constituents. 

Learning Opportunities

As an organization, we remain committed to creating and sustaining a resilient infrastructure for infant nutrition security so that all babies are safely nourished, even when faced with an emergency.  

In its role as a national convener of organizations representing the grassroots to the treetops, the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee will convene the Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) Constellation for a call on Wednesday, October 4, which invites representatives from USBC member organizations to come together and hear about the process that went into developing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) Toolkit as well as additional insights about the state of IYCF-E preparedness in the U.S. 

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​Is your organization interested in participating in USBC-affiliated constellations? 
Apply to become a USBC member!

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Additionally, as a learning opportunity open to the First Food field and beyond, the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) will host a webinar on Wednesday, November 1, from 2–3:30 pm ET, titled “Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies: Community Preparedness Systems to Keep Babies Safe.” This session will provide an overview of the CDC IYCF-E Toolkit, share current research exploring personal experiences and disaster-related factors that influence breastfeeding, and describe how NACCHO has supported communities in emergency preparedness for maternal and child populations. Participants will also learn how Jefferson County Public Health partnered with their Medical Reserve Corps unit and community members to integrate pregnant people, families, and infants into emergency preparedness planning. 

September is also Infant Mortality Awareness Month and National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. At the heart of our vision of thriving families and communities is a commitment to acknowledging the connection between breastfeeding and optimal infant health. Breastfeeding plays an essential role in establishing good nutrition and healthy weight, reducing the risk of chronic disease, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and improving infant health outcomes. This relationship between breastfeeding and improved infant health outcomes is continuously reaffirmed by new research. We encourage you to take a moment to learn more about these important connections. For example:

• A recent CDC study of over 3 million U.S. births found that breastfeeding is associated with a 26% reduction in the odds of post-perinatal (between 7-364 days) infant death.
  
• A new population-based study shows breastfeeding is associated with reduced risks of obesity and hypertension in young school-aged children.

Coming Soon: New USBC Data Tool

The NIS-Child infant feeding rates are critical in informing the First Food field's work and for legislators as they consider funding and policy priorities. In addition to this key information, we also recognize the need for data that helps us see what is happening in communities in real time. That’s why the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is excited about the launch of a new project, Rebel.Science: Big Data Can Make a Big Difference. 

Rebel.Science is a data collection tool that will become available to USBC member organizations at the next USBC Membership Meeting. This data project offers the opportunity to collect valuable information spotlighting new parents' experiences with infant feeding. We hope this data will help create a "live-time view" of infant feeding and breastfeeding support needs in communities across the country.

The USBC developed this tool with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO). Any domestic service organization or maternal and child health program providing clinical care, social care, or peer or professional support can brand and adopt this survey for use with their patients, clients, or customers who have recently given birth and are caring for an infant up to six months old. Every participating organization that adopts this simple survey tool will have access to trending data on infant feeding experiences.  

Through this project, the experiences of new parents in each community can begin to tell their own stories. From trends in infant feeding during emergencies and natural disasters, to pandemics, to legislation that enacts or removes barriers, we can finally look at real-time data and work towards changes that help to protect and promote breastfeeding in the U.S.

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​Are you interested in Rebel.Science and gaining access to tools, technical assistance, networking opportunities, and access to the First Food Connection Hub to help build your organization's capacity to support lactating mothers, babies, and families? Join the USBC Membership today to participate in collaborative efforts working toward policy and practices that create a landscape of breastfeeding support across the United States.

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