Recognizing the Important Role of Breastfeeding in Infant Care

August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, which is dedicated to the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding worldwide. Breastfeeding is one of the most natural things a mother can do for her baby. The health benefits for the baby are well known and linked to a reduced risk for many illnesses in both children and their mothers. Included in Healthy People 2030, are measures associated with increasing the number of mothers who choose to breastfeed their babies from birth and goals for the length of time a baby is breastfed. The agenda also captures strategies for improvement such as peer support groups, longer maternity leaves, and more in-depth breastfeeding education. There are many mothers who want to breastfeed their baby but find that the demands of life can make this goal difficult to achieve. They run into challenges associated with poor milk production, latching issues and other obstacles that can make the process incredibly frustrating. They may turn to friends or family who may tell them to just give up and turn to formula feeds because it’s easier. While this may be the best solution at times, this advice could cause conflict and feelings of inadequacy in the mother.

ProgenyHealth’s Case Managers and lactation specialists work to meet the mother where she is when it comes to her desire to breastfeed. As part of our comprehensive needs assessment, we discuss the benefits of breastfeeding and encourage the mother to consider this for her baby. Many mothers just need to know that someone is there to help when they run into difficulties or get frustrated. Our staff provides one-on-one support and guidance by reinforcing techniques, and teachings that the mother may have already had through her hospital experience. We make sure she has obtained a breast pump, often provided at no cost to the family as a covered benefit through their health plan. We also connect mothers to local resources within the community and provide the most updated information through our mobile app. 

As a part of our member satisfaction survey, we ask mothers about their breastfeeding journey with ProgenyHealth Case Managers by their side. Our 2023 results indicated that 77% of those surveyed reported breastfeeding. Of those mothers, 36% used the lactation services that are offered by ProgenyHealth with an overall satisfaction rating of 99%. There was a high correlation between those who felt well-prepared for breastfeeding and the length of time they continued doing so. The well-prepared group breastfed for 5.1 months as compared to the less prepared group who breastfed for 4.2 months. Through our support, our Case Managers and lactation specialists empower mothers to overcome their challenges and continue breastfeeding longer.

In celebration of National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, we would like to thank all the organizations around the world who join us in encouraging mothers to breastfeed so their infants can have a healthy first year of life and beyond.

Madeline Szabo is Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations at ProgenyHealth