Resources to meet the requirements of the Infant Feeding Act
MO-12-0009 BFP
Resources to meet the requirements of the Infant Feeding Act
(California Health & Safety Code §123366)
California Health & Safety Code §123366 (Hospital Infant Feeding Act)
123366. (a) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the Hospital Infant Feeding Act.
(b) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) "Perinatal unit" means a maternity and newborn service of the hospital for the provision of care during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum and neonatal periods with appropriate staff, space, equipment, and supplies.
(2) "Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative" means the program sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) that recognizes hospitals that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding.
(3) "Model Hospital Policy Recommendations" means the most recently updated guidelines approved and published by the State Department of Public Health entitled, "Providing Breastfeeding Support: Model Hospital Policy Recommendations."
(c) All general acute care hospitals and special hospitals, as defined in subdivisions (a) and (f) of Section 1250, that have a perinatal unit shall have an infant-feeding policy. The infant-feeding policy shall promote breastfeeding, utilizing guidance provided by the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative or the State Department of Public Health Model Hospital Policy Recommendations (PDF)
. The infant-feeding policy may include guidance on formula supplementation or bottlefeeding, if preferred by the mother or when exclusive breastfeeding is contraindicated for the mother or infant.
(d) The infant-feeding policy shall be routinely communicated to perinatal unit staff, beginning with hospital orientation, and shall be clearly posted in the perinatal unit or on the hospital or health system Internet Web site.
(e) The infant-feeding policy shall apply to all infants in a perinatal unit.
(f) This section shall become operative January 1, 2014.
RESOURCES AND REFERENCES TO HELP MEET THE HOSPITAL INFANT FEEDING ACT
California Department of Public Health Letter to Hospital Administrators and Nurse Managers, Obstetrics regarding the New Hospital Feeding and Care Requirements (PDF)
Below is a list of selected websites, resources and references. Many are free.
Links to non-California government web site addresses are provided for informational purposes only; inclusion in this list does not imply California Department of Public Health endorsement of these programs.The California Department of Public Health has no financial interest in the sale or use of any of these resources.
Websites
Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine: Protocols and References:
American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Breastfeeding
Arizona Department of Health Services
Baby Friendly USA
California Department of Public Health
Health Canada
Sheffield, UK
Texas Ten Step and Star Achiever Toolkit
Toolkit provides various resources, tools and strategies to better assist facilities to address the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
UNICEF UK The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
References
American Academy of Pediatrics, Section on Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk. Pediatrics 2005; 115:496-506. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/115/2/496.full
American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Breastfeeding Handbook for Physicians. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2006. http://www.aapebooks.org/product/breastfeeding-handbook-for-physicians
California Department of Public Health, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program (MCAH) Breastfeeding Statistics Website
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Feldman-Winter L, Procaccini D, Merewood A. A model infant feeding policy for Baby-Friendly designation in the USA. J Hum Lact. 2012 Aug;28(3):304-11. Epub 2012 Apr 26. (Includes a sample infant feeding policy)
Grummer-Strawn L, Scanlon K, Fein S. Infant Feeding and Feeding Transitions During the First Year of Life. Pediatrics, 2008. Abstract
Joint Commission of Hospitals (JCOH). Perinatal Care Core Measure Set. JCOH 2010 (PDF)
Effective January 1, 2014, for hospitals with 1,100 or more births per year, the perinatal care measure set will become the mandatory fifth measure set
JCQH Measure Specification Manuals
Lawrence, R., & Lawrence, R. Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Professional, 7th Edition. Elsevier Mosby: 2011.
United States Breastfeeding Committee. Implementing the Joint Commission Perinatal Care Core Measure on Exclusive Breast Milk Feeding. Washington, DC: United States Breastfeeding Committee; 2010 (PDF)U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding (PDF)Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General; 2011