Only 14 Percent Of Hospitals Have A Written Breastfeeding Policy

It’s world breastfeeding week, intended to raise awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding for mommies and babies. But while most of the parenting blogosphere is dedicated to covering why breastfeeding is important for mothers who can, our hospitals are seriously lagging when it comes to supporting new mothers.

Msnbc reports:

Less than 4 percent of U.S. hospitals do everything they should to help mothers breast-feed, and only 14 percent of hospitals have a written, model breast-feeding policy.

Only one-third of hospitals practice rooming in, where mothers and babies stay together so that they have frequent chances to breast-feed. And nearly 80 percent of hospitals give formula to healthy breast-feeding infants when it’s not medically necessary…

With c-sections being doled out like eyebrows waxes, hospitals dropping the ball on early breastfeeding education presents a second rather distinct and prominent mark against them. It seems that more we learn about hospital policies and procedures, the less they appear concerned with prioritizing the health of women and their babies. No wonder more and more mothers are opting for home birth.