Improving the Initiation and Exclusivity of Breastfeeding in Maternity Centers

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life provides enormous maternal and infant health
benefits. The period of hospitalization surrounding delivery has an enormous impact on whether this
goal is reached. Making this time maximally supportive of exclusive breastfeeding requires a
coordinated team approach that includes the mother, family and providers. The Perinatal Quality
Collaborative of North Carolina (PQCNC) and the Division of Medical Assistance have brought together
an expert panel of family members, doctors, nurses, researchers and lactation specialists to review the
scientific evidence related to breastfeeding and use of human milk. We are creating an action plan that
will assist in developing hospital based structures tot support increasing rates of exclusive breastfeeding
at discharge. We invite your facility to join this rapidly deployable initiative. Participation will allow your
hospital to say to the staff, families and payers that you are providing “state of the art” care that
positively impacts the health of mothers and babies for a lifetime.

Hospitals will develop strategies to increase the percentage of mothers exclusively breastfeeding at
discharge. Units will examine practice and share observations on improvement activities. At the unit
level, teams will assess individual needs, establish priorities, and work towards unique goals. PQCNC will
provide support in executing basic quality improvement (QI) methods including monthly webinars/calls,
learning sessions and individualized support.

PQCNC is partnered with the NC Department of Health Breastfeeding Coalition in this effort. This
statewide initiative will assist all facilities in meeting the Joint Commission goal of improving rates of
exclusive human milk feeding. This project will also support physicians newly required to demonstrate
participation in a board-approved QI project in order to maintain board certification. Registered teams
will complete pre-work later this fall. The first learning session begins in January 2011.

Our initiative is directed by three of North Carolina’s leader’s in infant nutrition: Dr. Miriam Labbok, and
Ms. Emily Taylor, with the Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute and Ms. Angela Pittman, RN, Director
of Maternity Services at the North Carolina Women’s Hospital. We invite you or your designee,
together with team personnel to join a conference call to learn more about this initiative on
September 8, 2010 @ noon, the call in number is 712-432-6100, passcode 96875#

Please register your team on the PQCNC website (www.pqcnc.org ) before September 15, 2010. For
more information contact PQCNC Director Marty McCaffrey, MD, (martin_mccaffrey@med.unc.edu) or
Project Coordinator Karen Metzguer, RN, (metzguer@med.unc.edu 919-966-8391)

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