Abstract:
The benefits of breastfeeding to the newborn infant are long-established, and the administration of human milk is considered the gold standard for infant feeding universally. Human milk is specifically designed to pass on specific antibodies from mother to child, and new evidence suggests breastfeeding may play a role in reducing chronic disease, such as childhood obesity and Type 2 Diabetes.
The effects aren’t only physical – breastfeeding is thought to have a positive psychological impact on both mother and child, and is best for the environment, and often financially for many families. Breast milk is especially important in the neonatal unit, as both short- and long-term outcomes for sick and pre-term infants have been proven to be improved with breastfeeding.
Despite the importance of human milk in the neonatal infant, rates of breastfeeding at discharge from the Russell’s Hall Neonatal Unit have been consistently below the national average. Over the past 10 months, a team led by Dr Abrams, Dr Khurshid and midwife Victoria Boswell have worked as a multidisciplinary team to identify barriers and implement targeted interventions to try and improve these rates.
The quality improvement project involved collaboration with staff, parents, community midwives, and experienced breastfeeding advocates to better understand the challenges and develop sustainable solutions. Qualitative feedback was gathered in a number of ways – using online surveys and paper surveys for parents and staff, informal discussions with members of staff as well as focus groups with local experts in breastfeeding, to ensure a broad array of opinions and ideas were considered. Based on the feedback received, interventions included breastfeeding engagement days, targeted education for junior doctors, and the introduction of antenatal information leaflets provided at booking appointments to promote the benefits of breastfeeding.
Since implementation, breastfeeding rates at discharge have shown a sustained and significant improvement. Ongoing feedback from staff and families continues to inform the project, ensuring interventions remain effective and supporting continued progress towards improved breastfeeding outcomes.
