Dear Lactnet Friends:

The director of the Division of Maternal, Child, and Family Health of the
Philadelphia Department of Public Health, with input from the lactation
team (me, another IBCLC, a CLC, and a CBC), Healthy Start, and Title V have
launched a free app to provide breastfeeding support to anyone in the City.

Some of the bigger news services are picking it up:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/city-philadelphia-secures-emergency-covid-132500838.html

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has been in the forefront of
lactation support since 1992, when a pilot project for a lactation
consultant was funded for 3 months. I got that job. The outcomes of that
project were a Resource Guide, a workplan, the first City-wide taskforce
meeting,  and a Breastfeeding Promotion Policy.

The job was made a permanent part-time one. Kay Hoover filled that job
excellently for 16 years. When she left in 2006, I came back and have been
loving it every since.

The cool thing about the MCFH LC job is that I am involved with education,
outreach and pollcy.

All Philadelphia Health Centers have regular breastfeeding support; in
addition, Healthy Start lactation staff can make home visits.

In 1997, the first ordinance to protect a baby's right to breastfeed
anywhere was passed. In 2014, another ordinance was passed, where
businesses have to provide reasonable accommodation for lactating employees.

Our website has a breastfeeding page:
https://www.phila.gov/departments/department-of-public-health/breastfeeding-guides-policies-and-fact-sheets/

In 2018, the Coalition for Lactation Friendly Schools was formed: a
collaborative effort between the Women's Law Project, Nurse-Family
Partnership, WIC, Maternity Care Coalition, the ELECT program (working with
parenting teens in the school system), and the Health Department. We are
working on the passage of a bill in the state legislature to afford the
same rights to lactating students as lactating employees have.

We have also CHOP's Homeless Health Initiative; currently we are working
implementation of the 10-Steps to a Breastfeeding Friendly Shelter policy
by training breastfeeding champions who already work in some family
shelters.

History is important, as we honor those who have gone before. Here's some,
in a nutshell: CEA of Philadelphia was a dynamic and expanding group that
gave birth to the Nursing Mothers' Advisory Council in 1982; once upon a
time, in the last century, there were over 40 volunteer nursing mothers
groups in the Philadelphia Region.

The Philadelphia 5-county region has been, and is still a hotbed of
dedicated and inspiring lactation leaders: Liz Brooks, Debi Ferrarello, Kay
Hoover, Chris Mulford, Judith Lauwers and Candy Woessner Karin Cadwell,
Ruth Wilf, Rachelle Lessen, Georgette Bartell, Andrea Judge, Diane Spatz,
Andrea Crivelli Kovach, Holly Lucard and more, all live(d )and worke(d) in
the 5-county area.  Colette Acker is currently directing a  successful
Breastfeeding Resource Center in 2 sites, providing consultations, support
(including a community counselor support network),  with a sliding scale,
and education (including mentorship).

That paragraph didn't mention everyone, nor all the organizations where
breastfeeding is a major part of care that is provided. . .that wouldn't be
possible. Suffice to say that breastfeeding is ingrained in the
Philadelphia Region!

Philadelphia is a Baby-Friendly City, as all birthing facilities (Albert
Einstein Medical Center, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania,
Pennsylvania Hospital, Temple University Hospital, and Thomas Jefferson
University Hospital) are designated, some in process of applying for
re-designation.

Drexel University offers courses and clinical hours towards the IBLCE
examination.

Hurrah for what determined and organized women can do...what happens as a
result is good for the world.

xoxoxoxo
-- 
Nikki Lee RN, BSN, Mother of 2, MS, IBCLC, CCE, CIMI, ANLC, CKC, RYT
Reviews Editor,* Clinical Lactation*
www.nikkileehealth.com
Pronouns: she/her/hers
*Communications are confidential and meant only for whom they are
addressed.*

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