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Date: | Sun, 18 Sep 2005 08:32:40 EDT |
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Susan reminded us that the state of New York has language prohibiting the
distribution of commercial gift bags to new mothers. Actually, New York is not
the only state with this stipulation and it is not really a law but part of
the state's perinatal regulations. Massachusetts has the same language in its
perinatal regulations which we are in the process of updating. We are asking
that the practice of distributing commercial discharge bags to mothers in the
hospital be halted completely. As a member of the board of directors of the
Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition I provided 14 pages of referenced
testimony on how the state perinatal regs could be improved relative to
breastfeeding. We also asked that an IBCLC be on staff at every hospital with a
maternity service and recommended a number of hospital practices that would improve
breastfeeding outcomes.
All states have perinatal regulations that are promulgated and "enforced"
through their state public health department. The objectionable practices
persist when they are not monitored by the state. To complement this work,
Massachusetts also has 5 breastfeeding bills before the state legislature (second
time around for licensing the IBCLC, third time around for breastfeeding in
public!). We are persistent!
Many of you may wish to obtain a copy of your state's perinatal regulations
and ask that the department of public health update them to better reflect
current breastfeeding management and to help fulfill the Title V maternal/child
block grant funding performance objective of improved breastfeeding rates in
the state.
Any help I can give on these types of issues, just let me know.
Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA
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