Weekly Wire: USBC Blog Post on CDC Breastfeeding Report, Special AJPH Issue on First 1,000 Days, and more

In this issue:

• USBC Updates
  • USBC Membership Meeting Recap
  • USBC Blog Post on CDC Breastfeeding Report Card
  • A Call to Action for Breastfeeding Coalitions
  • USBC Learning Opportunities Page Updated: USBC Webinar Recordings Available
  • November is Native American Heritage Month!
  • USBC Supports...
• National News
  • Special Publication Series on Nutrition in the First 1,000 Days Released
  • Invitation to Contribute to Breastfeeding Stories Publication
  • ASTHO Brief on Breastfeeding & Maternal Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • U.S. Surgeon General Publishes Framework for Workplace Mental Health
• State & Community News
  • UC San Diego Launches Human Milk Institute
  • City of Chicago Announces 12-Weeks Paid Parental Leave for City Employees
  • Indiana Hospital Lactation Survey
  • Virginia Breastfeeding Coalition Education & Membership Meeting
• News & Views
• Journal Publications

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

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USBC Updates

USBC Membership Meeting Recap

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee hosted the Fall 2022 Membership Meeting on Thursday, October 20. During the meeting, representatives from USBC member organizations heard updates from federal partners and were onboarded to the new USBC First Food Connection Hub, a platform for networking, collaboration, peer sharing, and learning. At the opening of the meeting, USBC Membership Engagement Committee member and Executive Director of the New Mexico Breastfeeding Taskforce, Monica Esparza, delivered the "Mission Moment." Read more about the meeting in our new blog post, "The USBC Membership Steps Into a New Opportunity for Connection: Launching the First Food Connection Hub & Taking a Mission Moment with Monica Esparza." All organizations with a commitment to the USBC mission are invited to complete the USBC Membership Interest Form.  

USBC Blog Post on CDC Breastfeeding Report Card

This summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published the 2022 Breastfeeding Report Card. The report brings together critical data on national, state, and territorial breastfeeding practices, as well as the environmental factors that are proven to impact breastfeeding outcomes. The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee published a blog post, "A Closer Look at the 2022 CDC Breastfeeding Report Card," in which our USBC Public Health Writing Specialist takes a closer look at key findings from the report, including two new indicators on paid leave and early care and education regulations.

A Call to Action for Breastfeeding Coalitions: Be Included in Your State's Report!

Every other year, the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee publishes a breastfeeding report for every state and territory. These reports include breastfeeding rates, federally funded lactation projects, and active breastfeeding coalitions in that state/territory. The USBC is currently working on updating these reports for publication in 2023. All breastfeeding coalitions listed in our directory will be included in this year's report. If your coalition would like to be included this year, please submit the prospective membership form by Friday, November 18. Review your state's report from prior years to learn more about this effort. 

USBC Learning Opportunities Page Updated: USBC Webinar Recordings Available

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee updated the Learning Opportunities webpage. The page now features a curated collection of recent USBC webinars, including October's diversity, equity, and inclusion webinar titled, "Racism and the Colonial Roots of Gendered Language in Public Health and Biomedicine," with Dr. Aunchalee Palmquist.

November is Native American Heritage Month!

Native American Heritage Month (NAHM) is here! The month honors the rich diversity of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian cultures, traditions, and languages, recognizes the histories and continuing invaluable contributions of its people, and focuses on how heritage intersects with health. By working together to raise awareness of health disparities and providing a platform for national American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian health organizations to discuss challenges and opportunities, we can all help move communities toward health equity. To explore breastfeeding resources on Native American Heritage Month, visit the USBC "November Is Native American Heritage Month" webpage. To help us amplify your resources in celebration of NAHM, please submit relevant resources that can be shared on the USBC website and social media channels.

USBC Supports...

The USBC joined the following joint letter from the field:

 National WIC Association: Letter to congressional leadership in support of WIC priorities

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National News

 Special Publication Series on Nutrition in the First 1,000 Days Released

The American Journal of Public Health, in partnership with 1,000 Days, released a special issue titled "Nutrition in the First 1000 Days." The collection of articles presents the state of science, research needs, and policy agenda for optimal maternal and child nutrition in the United States. The importance of breastfeeding in the first 1,000 days is highlighted throughout many of the articles in the series. Several articles specifically explore the role of lactation in achieving optimal child nutrition, including:

• "Barriers to Providing Lactation Services and Support to Families in Appalachia: A Mixed-Methods Study With Lactation Professionals and Supporters"
• "Breast Milk Feeding of Infants at Birth Among People With Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pregnancy"
• "What Will It Take to Improve Breastfeeding Outcomes in the United States Without Leaving Anyone Behind?"

 Invitation to Contribute Stories to LLLI Publication

La Leche League International (LLLI) is developing the 9th edition of its core publication, "The Art of Breastfeeding." La Leche League International aims to ensure the book reflects the experiences and wisdom of mothers and parents around the world and invites them to share their stories for use in the book. View the 8th edition of the publication.

ASTHO Brief on Breastfeeding & Maternal Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) published a brief titled "Supporting Breastfeeding and Maternal Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic." The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted perinatal mental health and breastfeeding through disruptions in care and increased exposure to stressors. In this report, ASTHO emphasizes the role of breastfeeding as a protective factor for maternal mental health, highlights state and local community efforts to support breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic, and proposes recommendations for states to strengthen support for maternal health needs.

U.S. Surgeon General Publishes Framework for Workplace Mental Health

The Office of the U.S. Surgeon General published a Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being, in which workplace well-being is framed as an economic and public health priority. The framework identifies five essential characteristics of healthy workplaces. The third essential characteristic proposes increasing access to paid leave, including paid parental leave. The benefits of paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave are highlighted in the framework.

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State & Community News

UC San Diego Launches Human Milk Institute

The University of California San Diego launched the new Human Milk Institute (HMI), an epicenter of data and expertise in human milk that was designed to inform areas across research, education, clinical care, and global public health. Media highlights include:

• UC San Diego Today: "UC San Diego Launches New Human Milk Institute"

City of Chicago Announces 12-Weeks Paid Parental Leave for City Employees

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot recently announced the agreement to expand the City of Chicago's paid parental leave policy, which will be effective January 1, 2023. Under the new policy, all City employees will receive up to twelve weeks of paid parental leave regardless of whether they are the birthing or non-birthing parent. With this expansion, Chicago becomes one of the largest cities in the country to have a paid family leave policy. Media highlights include:

• Block Club Chicago: "City Employees In Chicago Will Get 12 Weeks Of Fully Paid Parental Leave In 2023"
• WTTW: "City of Chicago to Offer Workers 12 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave"

 Indiana Hospital Lactation Survey

The Indiana Breastfeeding Coalition (IBC), in partnership with the Indiana Department of Health, is conducting the Indiana Hospital Lactation Survey. IBC is surveying all delivering hospitals and birth centers in Indiana to collect information regarding lactation support across the state. IBC plans to create an asset map of this data that parents and healthcare providers can access at no charge to help them connect with professional lactation support.

 Virginia Breastfeeding Coalition Education & Membership Meeting

The Virginia Breastfeeding Coalition is hosting its Membership Meeting virtually, on Wednesday, November 9, at 6 p.m. ET. The "Lactation After Loss" session will offer evidence-based information for allied health professionals to enhance their counseling and clinical skills when supporting lactating parents who have suffered infant loss. Continuing education credits will be provided. The online meeting is free, but pre-registration is required.

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News & Views

HHS press release: "Biden-Harris Administration Announces More than Half of All States Have Expanded Access to 12 Months of Medicaid and CHIP Postpartum Coverage"

National Partnership for Women and Families blog post: "Scary Stats 2022: 'Halloween Ends' but Pregnancy Discrimination Continues"

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Journal Publications

Breastfeeding Medicine: "Lactation Support for People Who Are Incarcerated: A Systematic Review"

Children: "Impact of Donor Human Milk in an Urban NICU Population"

Journal of Perinatology: "Achieving healthy people 2030 breastfeeding targets in the United States: challenges and opportunities"