Topic 7 DQ 1
Evidence shows that breastfeeding is the ideal nutrition for children for it has the ideal nutritional composition. Breast milk contains the necessary nutrients for healthy growth and development, protecting children from gastrointestinal and respiratory infections, obesity, risk of allergies, endocrine diseases, and promotes mental health and psychomotor development and in mothers can reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancers (Cauto, et al., 2020). My evidence-based change proposal is on increasing breastfeeding support, this would increase breastfeeding rates and adherence to exclusivity for the first six months of life.
An internal method of increasing breastfeeding support would be to provide additional education to nurses in the hospital setting. If nurses feel competent about the benefits of breastfeeding and how to help mothers latch the baby on the breast, nurses will be more willing to help. The International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) nurses at this organization are only available during the day shift. This is a huge disadvantage for babies are born at any time and mothers might want to initiate breastfeeding during the nighttime or may face challenges at this time. Having the nurses feel comfortable about helping mothers breastfeed will delay the use of formula feeding and encourage adherence to breastfeeding.
An external method will be promotion on breastfeeding at the doctor’s office. This can be done by providing patients with information about the benefits of breastfeeding and giving them information about available resources. Resources would include Healthy Beginnings lactation clinic, La Leche League help line, referrals to Women Infant and Children (WIC), and insurance breast pump approvals. Currently there is a stigma about breastfeeding in public. Another external method would be to educate the public on breastfeeding. Healthy Beginnings being a part of Desert Regional Medical center, which is one of the two main hospitals in the valley and the one with the highest birth rates, can help with advertisement. Just how they help with advertising the hospital being a baby friendly hospital they can further advertise how breastfeeding is normal and should be encouraged. Most mothers are embarrassed to breastfeed in public and fear being judged (Graham, 2018). But if this is advertised as being normal, the public will be more willing to accept it as the norm and mothers more willing to breastfeed on demand.
Further efforts should target hospital-community partnerships, family centered education, evidence-based social media strategies and improved breastfeeding legislation to ensure breastfeeding women receive effective support throughout their breastfeeding journey. While supportive breastfeeding legislation does exist, it lacks the specificity need to offer workplace protections for all breastfeeding women in the United States (Synder, et al., 2021).
Describe one internal and one external method for the dissemination of your evidence-based change proposal. For example, an internal method may be the hospital board, and an external method may be a professional nursing organization. Discuss why it is important to report your change proposal to both of these groups. How will your communication strategies change for each group?
Using 200-300 words APA format with at least two references. Sources must be published within the last 5 years. There should be a mix between research and your reflections. Add critical thinking in the posts along with research. Apply the material in a substantial way
