AAP Breastfeeding Policy Updated, CDC IYCF-E Toolkit, and more

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AAP Breastfeeding Policy Updated, CDC IYCF-E Toolkit, and more

7/1/2022

Weekly Wire: July 1, 2022

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- New Look, Same USBC!
Special Section on Infant Formula Recall and Shortage
National News
- AAP Policy Statement on Breastfeeding Updated
- CDC Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) Toolkit Published
- House Appropriations Committee Releases Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Bills
- Proposed Changes to Title IX Regulations Prohibiting Sex-Based Discrimination in Schools
- White House Maternal Health Blueprint Published
- Bill to Address Health Inequities Introduced in House
- Updated Policy Statement on Safe Sleep Environments for Infants
- Congressional Social Determinants of Health Caucus Virtual Briefing
- Report on Giving Voices to Mothers Study
- Good Jobs Principles Framework Released
State & Community News
- Legislation Enacted to Prevent Infant Formula Price Gouging
News & Views

denotes a USBC member organization news item denotes a USBC-affiliated constellation news item

USBC Updates

New Look, Same USBC!

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is excited to unveil our new streamlined website! The website features an improved look and increased searchability in a more user-friendly and mobile-friendly format. Engage with the new site by:

Exploring the National Breastfeeding Month webpage to learn about the 2022 theme, access the proclamation toolkit, and order this year's limited-edition t-shirt
Taking action with the USBC by contacting your legislators about the PUMP Act, Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations, and sharing your infant feeding story and insights
Making a donation to support the USBC and our collective mission
Learning more about the benefits of USBC membership for organizations and complete the membership interest form

The new website is one of several recent and ongoing updates to our internal and external technology systems that our team is making in order to better serve our network and achieve our shared mission to create a landscape of breastfeeding support. Stay tuned as we continue to expand and improve our offerings and let us know if you need assistance or have questions by contacting [email protected].

Special Section on Infant Formula Recall and Shortage

The United States is facing a serious shortage of infant formula. No baby should ever go hungry. As the nation grapples with this emergency, we need to do everything we can to support infant nutrition, including ensuring access to lactation support, supplies, and accommodations, donor milk, and infant formula. Throughout its history, the USBC has worked to ensure food security for our nation's infants by addressing gaps through policy, systems, and environmental change solutions, including building an infrastructure for infant and young child feeding in emergencies. We remain committed to this cause and will continue to curate and amplify resources from the field in the Weekly Wire Newsletter and on the USBC Website. Recent highlights include:

CAP: The Center for American Progress released a report titled "The National Baby Formula Shortage and the Inequitable U.S. Food System." The report looks at how the infant formula shortage emerged and considers the longer-term opportunities to make U.S. food production, supply, and distribution systems more responsive, resilient, and equitable to ensure that all individuals and families have access to life-saving food and nourishment.
Congress: The Fixing Our Regulatory Mayhem Upsetting Little Americans (FORMULA) Act (S. 4261) passed the Senate by unanimous consent. The bill would suspend duties and other restrictions on the importation of infant formula for 90 days. It has been received in the House. Read the press release.

Infant Formula Recall and Shortage News & Views

AND statement: "Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Advocates for Families During Infant Formula Shortage"
HHS press release: "HHS Secretary Becerra Invokes Defense Production Act for Third Time to Further Increase Production of Infant Formula for American Families"

National News

AAP Policy Statement on Breastfeeding Updated

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released an updated policy statement and technical report titled "Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk." The publications outline recommendations and evidence of significant health benefits to infants and mothers of human milk and breastfeeding. Under the new policy, the AAP recommends exclusive breastfeeding of infants for the first six months of life before introducing nutritious complementary foods, and supports continued breastfeeding until two years or beyond, as mutually desired by mother and child. The policy encourages social and systemic changes to support mothers who choose to breastfeed and calls for addressing implicit bias, structural bias, and structural racism to eliminate disparities in breastfeeding and improve the health and well-being of all children and families. This is an update from the 2012 guidance, which recommended continued breastfeeding for up to one year or longer. The AAP guidance is now consistent with recommendations from the World Health Organization. Highlights from the field include:

AAP News: "Updated AAP guidance recommends longer breastfeeding due to benefits"
AAP press release: "American Academy of Pediatrics Calls for More Support for Breastfeeding Mothers Within Updated Policy Recommendations"
healthychildren.org (AAP blog): "Breastfeeding: AAP Policy Explained"
The New York Times: "New Guidelines Encourage Breastfeeding Longer, but Call for More Parental Support"

CDC Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) Toolkit Published

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity released the "Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) Toolkit." The publication provides information and resources for emergency preparedness and response personnel, families, and the public to ensure that children are safely fed during disasters or emergencies. This toolkit focuses on IYCF-E preparedness and response efforts specific to the U.S. and its territories. It includes information for families and caregivers on how to be prepared to feed infants and young children during emergencies and addresses important considerations for donations during emergencies. The toolkit also includes printable handouts, including the Rapid Needs Assessment Intake for Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies and infant feeding signage for shelters.

House Appropriations Committee Releases Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Bills

The House Committee on Appropriations released the fiscal year 2023 appropriations bills and associated reports. Breastfeeding is included in several appropriations bill. Stay tuned for detailed analyses from the USBC.

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act
Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act
Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act

Proposed Changes to Title IX Regulations Prohibiting Sex-Based Discrimination in Schools

The Department of Education released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to amend the regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX). The purpose of the proposed regulations is to better align the Title IX regulatory requirements with Title IX’s nondiscrimination mandate, and to clarify the scope and application of Title IX and the obligation of all schools, including elementary schools, secondary schools, postsecondary institutions, and other recipients that receive Federal financial assistance from the Department to provide an educational environment free from discrimination on the basis of sex, including through responding to incidents of sex discrimination. Under the proposed regulations, employees and students must be provided lactation space which is not a bathroom, and is clean, shielded from view, free from intrusion, and may be used for expressing breast milk or breastfeeding as needed. The draft regulations would also define pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions more consistently and recognize lactation as a pregnancy-related condition. Media and partner highlights include:

The Pregnant Scholar: "New Draft Title IX Rules Released"
U.S. Department of Education press release: "The U.S. Department of Education Releases Proposed Changes to Title IX Regulations, Invites Public Comment"

White House Maternal Health Blueprint Published

The White House released a report titled "White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis." The Blueprint outlines five priorities to improve maternal health and outcomes in the United States: Increasing access to and coverage of comprehensive high-quality maternal health services, including behavioral health services; Ensuring women giving birth are heard and are decisionmakers in accountable systems of care; Advancing data collection, standardization, harmonization, transparency, and research; Expanding and diversifying the perinatal workforce; and Strengthening economic and social supports for people before, during, and after pregnancy. The Blueprint lays out specific actions that the federal government will take to improve maternal health, including extending Medicaid coverage from two months to one year postpartum, promoting greater awareness of workplace protections and accommodations for new parents, supporting breastfeeding through the Reducing Disparities in Breastfeeding Innovation Challenge, and evaluating the impact of doulas and lactation support on service members and their families through the TRICARE Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration. Read the fact sheet.

Bill to Address Healthy Inequities Introduced in House

Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act (H.R. 7585). The bill aims to provide a legislative roadmap to eliminate racial and ethnic health inequities, including addressing the maternal mortality crisis. The bill would direct the Secretary of Health to implement a nationwide campaign to increase awareness about pregnancy and breastfeeding information services, expand lactation support for those who are incarcerated, and integrate breastfeeding support into maternal mortality prevention efforts. The bill has been referred to the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. Read the press release.

Updated Policy Statement on Safe Sleep Environments for Infants

The American Academy of Pediatrics released an updated policy statement titled "Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for Reducing Infant Deaths in the Sleep Environment." The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a safe sleep environment to reduce the risk of all sleep-related deaths. This includes supine positioning; use of a firm, noninclined sleep surface; room sharing without bed sharing; and avoidance of soft bedding and overheating. Additional recommendations for SIDS risk reduction include human milk feeding; avoidance of exposure to nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, opioids, and illicit drugs; routine immunization; and use of a pacifier. New recommendations are presented regarding noninclined sleep surfaces, short-term emergency sleep locations, use of cardboard boxes as a sleep location, bed sharing, substance use, home cardiorespiratory monitors, and tummy time. Additional information to assist parents, physicians, and nonphysician clinicians in assessing the risk of specific bed-sharing situations is also included.

Congressional Social Determinants of Health Caucus Virtual Briefing

The Congressional Social Determinants of Health Caucus is hosting a Congressional briefing on July 13, at 3:30 p.m. ET titled "Addressing Food Insecurity and Nutrition as a SDOH." The virtual briefing will focus on the drivers and heatlh impacts of food insecurity, highlight best practices in helping to connect individuals with access to healthy food, and explore potential legislative approaches to alleviate the impact of food insecurity.

Report on Giving Voices to Mothers Study

The Birth Place Lab published a report titled "The Giving Voice to Mothers Study Report: Communities defining quality and safety in pregnancy and childbirth care." Community members worked with clinicians, non-governmental organization leaders, and researchers to design a study on quality of care as experienced by pregnant persons from communities of color (Black, Indigenous, and Latinx) and those who planned to give birth in homes and birth centers. Together they developed and administered a cross-sectional online survey to explore novel topics including: agency in decision-making, coercion and non-consented procedures, access to supportive services, and systemic respect or discrimination over the course of care. The report features key findings from the study and how to transform the lived experience of perinatal services and assure equitable access to the highest quality of care for all service users.

Good Jobs Principles Framework Released

The Department of Commerce and Department of Labor released "Good Jobs Principles" as part of the Good Jobs Initiative. The principles are intended to serve as a framework for a shared vision of job quality. The principles name paid leave and caregiving supports among the family-supporting benefits that are important for job quality.

State & Community News

Legislation Enacted to Prevent Infant Formula Price Gouging

The Council of the District of Columbia has enacted the Infant Formula Consumer Protection Emergency Amendment Act of 2022. The legislation prohibits the sale of infant formula products at a price greater than 20% above the average price of a substantially similar product during the 90-day period preceding the February 17, 2022.