Physician Education and Training to Support Breastfeeding

Physicians and other healthcare providers working in maternal and child health (obstetrics, pediatrics, family practice) need knowledge and skills in breastfeeding management to best support their patients.

Breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for most infants and reduces the risk for some health conditions in both infants and mothers. Exclusive breastfeeding for about the first 6 months, with continued breastfeeding up to 1 year or longer along with introducing complementary foods, is recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans [PDF-30.6MB], the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Many factors make the difference in whether and how long infants are breastfed. Breastfeeding promotion and support by physicians starts prenatally and continues through the intrapartum and postpartum periods. As trusted health advisors, physician support and management of breastfeeding is important to help families meet their breastfeeding goals. But research shows that physicians generally lack adequate breastfeeding education and training. Better training in this area can help them gain the appropriate knowledge, skills, and confidence to support families and advocate for breastfeeding-friendly practices where they work.

To increase breastfeeding-related physician education and training, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded the American Academy of Pediatrics to implement the Physician Education and Training on Breastfeeding Project. The goals of this project are to:

• Increase the availability and accessibility of medical provider education and training related to breastfeeding.
• Improve capacity of medical providers to:
  • Facilitate safe implementation of evidence-based maternity care practices at the hospital level and within their practices
  • Promote continuity of breastfeeding-related care in their communities.

The Project Advisory Committee (PAC) consisted of breastfeeding subject matter experts and key representatives from the following organizations:

• • Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM)
  • American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
  • American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
  • American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians (ACOP)
  • Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA)
  • National Medical Association (NMA)
  • Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE)
  • United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC)

The PAC conducted a landscape analysis of undergraduate and graduate medical education to guide the development of breastfeeding education and training for physicians. The resulting Action Plan served as a basis for production of several resources to address the gaps identified.