Weekly Wire: CDC Breastfeeding Report Card Released, USBC in the Media, and more

The USBC e-Newsletter, Staying Abreast, is published in a weekly news brief format, called the Weekly Wire (WW). Past issues are archived below.

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Weekly Wire: CDC Breastfeeding Report Card Released, USBC in the Media, and more

9/9/2022

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- Sign-On Letter Opportunity on Proposed Title IX Regulations for Lactating Students
- USBC Featured in Giddy Article for National Breastfeeding Month
- Blog Post on Infant Nutrition Security in the U.S.
- New USBC Member: Vitamin Angels
- Call for Submissions: National Preparedness Month and Safe Sleep and SIDS Awareness Month
- USBC Supports...
International News
- Webinar on Health Professional Associations and the Formula Milk Industry
National News
- 2022 Breastfeeding Report Card Released
- Funding Opportunity and New Resources to Support Implementation of the Continuity of Care in Breastfeeding Blueprint
- White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health Date Announced
- Application for the Birth & Breastfeeding Leadership Institute Now Open
- mPINC Survey Data Collection Update
- HRSA Announces Awards to Support Implementation of White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis
- Webinar on Implementing Donor Milk Programs in Hospitals
- HRSA Webinar on Community Doulas in MCH Services
- Virtual Lactation Support Group Meetings
- Funding Opportunity to Address Maternal Health Challenges
State & Community News
- Initiative to Support Human Milk Feeding Among Incarcerated Mothers in Oklahoma
- Oklahoma Governor Issues Proclamation Declaring August as Breastfeeding Month
- 20th Anniversary Celebration of California's Paid Leave Program
- Registration to Human Lactation Behind Bars Webinar is Now Open
- Report on the Impact of MCH Initiatives in New Mexico
National Breastfeeding Month News & Views
News & Views
Journal Publications

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

USBC Updates

Sign-On Letter Opportunity on Proposed Title IX Regulations for Lactating Students

The Pregnant Scholar worked with members of the USBC-affiliated Workplace Support Constellation and other stakeholders to develop a joint letter for organizations and community leaders in response to proposed regulations from the U.S. Department of Labor on Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, the landmark law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. The proposal recognizes lactation as a pregnancy-related condition, sets requirements for lactation break time and space, and requires educational institutions to provide information to pregnant students on their rights, including rights related to lactation. Organizations are invited to sign on to the joint letter by Monday, September 12. Learn more about the proposed rule from the Pregnant Scholar.

USBC Featured in Giddy Article for National Breastfeeding Month

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee was featured in an article on Giddy titled "Raising Awareness: U.S. Breastfeeding Committee Provides Support." Senior Campaign & Convening Manager, Camille Abbe, and Senior Policy & Communications Manager, Cheryl Lebedevitch, describe active legislation, how individuals can get involved, provide highlights from the USBC conference, what is needed to ensure infant nutrition security, and the importance of National Breastfeeding Month.

Blog Post on Infant Nutrition Security in the U.S.

The Milky Way has reproduced a blog post written by USBC Deputy Director, Amelia Psmythe Seger, titled "The Four Pillars of Infant Nutrition Security in the United States." The blog describes the devastating impact of the infant formula shortage and what's needed to create a robust infrastructure for infant nutrition security in the U.S. that holds all families in care.

New USBC Member: Vitamin Angels

Joins us in welcoming a new addition to the USBC membership! Vitamin Angels is a non-profit organization that provides lifesaving vitamins to mothers and children at risk of malnutrition. Vitamin Angels is spearheading a global effort to reduce newborn mortality rates by scaling up its prenatal vitamin and mineral program to meet the needs of 50 million women annually by the year 2030.

Call for Submissions: National Preparedness Month and Safe Sleep and SIDS Awareness Month

September is National Preparedness Month and October is Safe Sleep and SIDS Awareness Month! The USBC hosts webpages for each month with a curated selection of infant feeding news and resources. Please share additional relevant materials and tools for consideration.

USBC Supports...

The Pregnant Scholar: Letter on Proposed Title IX Regulations on Lactation

International News

Webinar on Health Professional Associations and the Formula Milk Industry

The Global Breastfeeding Collective is hosting a webinar titled "The problem with the formula milk industry--should health professional associations refuse industry funding?" on Thursday, September 29, at 9 a.m. ET. The webinar will focus on the role of health professional associations in taking a stand against formula milk marketing to protect the integrity of their professions and improve health outcomes for children and women. The webinar will include an interactive discussion between panelists and time for live questions from attendees.

National News

2022 Breastfeeding Report Card Released

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published the 2022 Breastfeeding Report Card. The report card is released every other year and features a compilation of data on breastfeeding practices and supports in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Among infants born in 2019, most (83.2%) started out receiving some breast milk. At 6 months, 55.8% of infants received any breast milk and 24.9% received breast milk exclusively. This is a slight decline from breastfeeding rates in the previous report card. Many families do not breastfeed for as long as they intend to and breastfeeding disparities by race and ethnicity persist. The steady decline in any and exclusive breastfeeding from month-to-month indicates that breastfeeding families may need stronger systems of support to reach their breastfeeding goals. This year's report highlights select breastfeeding support indicators that can help families reach their breastfeeding goals, including supportive maternity care practices and two new indicators, state paid family and medical leave laws and early care and education (ECE) policies.

Funding Opportunity and New Resources to Support Implementation of the Continuity of Care in Breastfeeding Blueprint

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, announced a Request for Applications titled "Community Partners Implementing the Blueprint: Continuity of Care in Breastfeeding Support Cohort II." The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support the implementation of strategies from the "Continuity of Care (CoC) in Breastfeeding Support: A Blueprint for Communities" by local-level organizations among oppressed communities with historically low rates of breastfeeding. Up to five local organizations will be awarded up to $40,000 each. Applications are due by Sunday, October 2. Register to attend the informational webinar on Monday, September 19, at 1 p.m. ET.

In addition, NACCHO released new resources for the Continuity of Care Resource Library:

Blueprint Recommendation 2 (Breastfeeding Policy, Systems, Environmental Changes) Resource:
- "Working with Food Pantries Part 1: A partnership guide for lactation support providers" provides guidance and sample tools for exploring partnerships between lactation support providers and organizations within the hunger relief system.
- "Working with Food Pantries Part 2: Bridge Bags – increasing access to donor milk" provides guidance and sample tools for determining the feasibility and process of creating a Bridge Bag program, or a community donor milk distribution program.
Blueprint Recommendation 3 (Care Coordination) Resource:
- "Tips for Successful Referral Connections: A toolkit for Blueprint Recommendation 3" is a toolkit designed to help hospitals, community organizations, and allied health professionals in developing referral connections.

Learn more on the NACCHO one-year anniversary webpage.

White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health Date Announced

The White House announced that the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health will be hosted on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, in Washington, D.C. The Conference will bring government leaders, academics, activists, and Americans from all walks of life together to achieve the goal of ending hunger and reducing diet-related diseases in the U.S. by 2030 – all while reducing disparities among the communities who are impacted the most by these issues. A national strategy that identifies actions the government will take to catalyze the public and private sectors to drive transformative change and address the intersections between food, hunger, nutrition, and health will be announced.

USBC Insight: The Task Force on Hunger, Nutrition and Health published a report titled "Informing the White House Conference: Ambitious, Actionable Recommendations to End Hunger, Advance Nutrition and Improve Health in the United States." The report includes a series of 30 policy recommendations and actions to advance the goals of the conference, including to create and invest in programs and policies that promote human milk feeding as the premier source of infant nutrition.

Application for the Birth & Breastfeeding Leadership Institute Now Open

The Black Mothers' Breastfeeding Association opened the application for the second cohort of the Birth & Breastfeeding Leadership Institute. The virtual national leadership development program is designed to advance community-level leadership for racial justice and equity in maternal and child health. The Institute is looking for Black leaders in maternal and child health across the United States that are committed to ensuring equitable systems of accountability in the field. Applications are open until Friday, October 7. To learn more about the application process and applicant requirements, visit the FAQ webpage.

mPINC Survey Data Collection Update

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is more than halfway through the data collection period for CDC's 2022 Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) survey. Battelle, the contractor conducting the mPINC survey, has contacted every hospital in the United States and territories that routinely provides maternity care services. They are still calling hospitals to determine whether a hospital is eligible to complete the survey. Mother-baby nurse managers or labor and delivery unit managers might be contacted by Battelle to determine eligibility and will be asked to provide an email address for the best point of contact for a hospital-specific link to the survey. If a hospital has not heard from Battelle, they can check with their managers/leadership, lactation specialists, and maternity staff to see if anyone has received a call or voicemail from Battelle. If not, the CDC requests that they send an email to mPINC@cdc.gov with the hospitals full name and address. The CDC has not yet estabished a final submission deadline, however it encourages hospitals to submit their surveys as soon as possible after receiving the invitation. For more information about the 2022 mPINC survey, visit the Hospital FAQs webpage.

HRSA Announces Awards to Support Implementation of White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced investments of more than $20 million in awards to implement the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis. HRSA is awarding the funding through its Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Program, State Maternal Health Innovation Program, Catalyst for Infant Health Equity Program, and Healthy Start Program. The funding aims to help reduce disparities in maternal and birth outcomes, support states in tackling inequities, increase access to obstetrics care in rural communities, and expand and diversify the workforce caring for pregnant and postpartum individuals.

Webinar on Implementing Donor Milk Programs in Hospitals

The Human Milk Banking Association of North America is hosting a webinar titled, "Implementing a Donor Milk Program: How to Get Started," on Tuesday, October 18, at 2 p.m. ET. Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows that many neonatal intensive care units across the United States do not yet provide donor milk, despite the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations. The webinar will provide a framework for introducing donor milk programs in hospitals.

HRSA Webinar on Community Doulas in MCH Services

The Health Resources and Services Administration Maternal and Child Health Bureau is hosting an Engaging Research Innovations and Challenges (EnRICH) webinar titled, "The Impact of Community Doulas on Reducing Health Disparities in Maternal and Child Health Populations," on Tuesday, September 13, at 1:30 p.m. ET. Attendees will learn about the current research and practices for integrating community doulas into maternal and child health services in order to reduce inequities in maternal and child health outcomes.

Virtual Lactation Support Group Meetings

The Chocolate Milk Café has chapters throughout the United States that host virtual lactation support groups for families that are part of the African Diaspora. All meetings are currently being hosted virtually on a monthly basis and are free to join.

Funding Opportunity to Address Maternal Health Challenges

The National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) announced the Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge. Part of the Implementing a Maternal health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) initiative, the challenge will encourage and reward nonprofit community-based or advocacy organizations to develop research capabilities and infrastructure to pursue maternal health research projects. The submission period for phase 1 open until Thursday, September 29.

State & Community News

Initiative to Support Human Milk Feeding Among Incarcerated Mothers in Oklahoma

The Coalition of Oklahoma Breastfeeding Advocates is partnering with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) and Oklahoma Mothers’ Milk Bank to create the "Mothers Milk Initiative." The initiative will work to protect access to human milk for infants with incarcerated mothers by creating a lactation policy in collaboration with DOC and establishing a pumping room at Bassett Correctional Center, which serves as the reception and assessment center for all incarcerated females in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Governor Issues Proclamation Declaring August as Breastfeeding Month

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt issued a proclamation declaring August 2022 as Oklahoma Breastfeeding Month. The proclamation emphasizes the health benefits of human milk feeding, the importance of focusing on infant and young child feeding in emergencies, and the business case for breastfeeding.

USBC Insight: In 2021, the USBC was thrilled to pilot a toolkit that individuals could use to urge their governor to proclaim August as "Breastfeeding Month" in their state or territory. The NBM Proclamation Toolkit was updated for use again this year. Thank you to all that used our toolkit to helped raise the profile of breastfeeding in their community! Check out the National Breastfeeding Month webpage for a list of 2022 proclamations, and please share yours with us.

20th Anniversary Celebration of California's Paid Leave Program

New America is hosting a virtual celebration titled "Celebrating California’s First-In-The-Nation Paid Leave Program" on Thursday, September 22, at 3 p.m. ET. The event will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the nation's first state paid leave program by reflecting on California’s paid leave program successes, lessons learned, and implications for the future.

Registration to Human Lactation Behind Bars Webinar is Now Open

The Michigan Breastfeeding Network is hosting a Great Lakes Breastfeeding Webinar titled, "Human Lactation Behind Bars." Participants will gain insight into the birth and support of incarcerated people in Michigan. Registration is open through Thursday, November 17.

Report on the Impact of MCH Initiatives in New Mexico

The W. K. Kellog Foundation issued an evaluation report titled, "Advancing Racial Equity in Maternal-Child Health and Addressing Disparities through a Reproductive and Birth Justice Lens." The report describes the results of a study examining how the Foundation's investments in the strategies of folic acid initiative, home visiting, doulas, breastfeeding peer counselors and baby-friendly hospitals have improved maternal child health in New Mexico.