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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