Breastfeeding

Rhode Island is committed to promoting breastfeeding, protecting a woman’s right to breastfeed her child, and ensuring the availability of quality health care services for breastfeeding mothers. The Department of Health collaborates with and supports health care professionals and community groups working to increase breastfeeding rates in Rhode Island.

Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative
Westerly Hospital has joined South County Hospital and Newport Hospital as the third ‘Baby Friendly’ Hospital in Rhode Island, moving Rhode Island one step closer toward becoming the first ‘Baby Friendly’ state in the nation. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund to encourage and recognize hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for breastfeeding. Press Release

Eliminating Infant Formula Marketing in Hospitals
A number of professional organizations in Rhode Island have prepared a joint letter encouraging local maternity hospitals to eliminate the marketing of infant formula to new mothers through the distribution of commercial maternity discharge gift packs. Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island has committed to replacing formula discharge bags for new mothers with Women & Infants Hospital gift bags that do not promote infant formula. This transition is expected to be completed by January 1, 2008.

Breastfeeding Health Care Provider Conference
The Rhode Island Breastfeeding Coalition hosted a health care provider conference on Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at the Airport Radisson Hotel in Warwick. The keynote speaker, Molly Pessl, RN, IBCLC, discussed issues surrounding breastfeeding the near-term infant.

USDA Loving Support Grant Reports
The Rhode Island WIC Program recently completed a three-year USDA grant titled, "Using Loving Support to Build a Breastfeeding-Friendly Community." The grant resulted in the development and implementation of a statewide breastfeeding support and promotion plan. State plan activities are summarized in the initial (2004) and extension (2005-2006) grant reports submitted to the USDA.

Electric Breast Pump Coverage
Three major Rhode Island health insurers, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, and UnitedHealthcare, have expanded their breastfeeding benefits to cover electric breast pumps for RIte Care mothers who have a prescription for medical necessity. UnitedHealthcare has further expanded its electric breast pump coverage to RIte Care mothers returning to work or school.

Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Award
The Physicians' Committee for Breastfeeding in Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Department of Health are honoring eight local businesses in 2007 for effectively accommodating employees who continue to breastfeed their infants when they return to work.
Event press release Award information

Local Media Coverage
Access recently published Providence Journal articles on breastfeeding.

World Breastfeeding Week: August 1-7
World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is celebrated every 1-7 August to commemorate the Innocenti Declaration (1990) to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. It involves over 120 countries and is endorsed by UNICEF, WHO and FAO. The theme for World Breastfeeding Week 2007 is Breastfeeding: The 1st Hour. Additional information is available at http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/

The CDC Breastfeeding Report Card
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released The Breastfeeding Report Card - United States, 2007. The Breastfeeding Report Card summarizes indicators for each state that measures a state’s ability to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. Eight 'process' indicators are elements of breastfeeding-friendly communities and five 'outcome' indicators are derived from Healthy People 2010, a description of the nation’s health priorities.

Breastfeeding in the Media
A June 13, 2006 article published in the New York Times entitled, “Breast-Feed Or Else” sparked a flurry of national media and subsequent debate. Review related news stories.