New mothers worry a lot about the health of their babies in general and how well they are eating in particular. One of the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services Healthy People 2030 goals is to increase the proportion of infants who are breastfed exclusively through age 6 months and who are breastfed for at least their first year of life. In a recent study by UC-Davis Medical Center, most new mothers wanted to try breastfeeding but only 13% managed to do so exclusively for 6 months.

There is evidence to support the health benefits of breastfeeding for both infants and their mothers, and a systematic literature review found that breastfeeding interventions using lactation consultants and counselors increased the number of women initiating breastfeeding, improved breastfeeding rates and had a beneficial effect on exclusive breastfeeding rates. Most evidence suggested developing postpartum support programs incorporating lactation consultants.

Many obstetrics patients at Mobridge Regional Hospital have asked for breastfeeding help immediately after the delivery of their babies, but until recently, the nearest breastfeeding specialist was 100 miles away. Labor and delivery nurses at Mobridge Regional Hospital & Clinics wanted to change that, and, with support from the SD Dept of Health, four of them recently went through training to become Certified Breastfeeding Specialists (CBS). The four nurses have begun offering free consultations to women who deliver at Mobridge Regional Hospital and to breastfeeding moms at their rural health clinics in Mobridge, McLaughlin, Selby, and Timber Lake. Education supplies were purchased, and a newborn log and journal was created for MRH&C obstetrics patients to further improve the experience.

“I worked with Holly in OB last week and she was sharing a lot of the information we have learned with a new mom. She was doing great,” shared Cathy Mickelson, RN, CBS and OB Nurse Supervisor. Two other nurses, Callie Mickelson, RN, CBS who works nights and Lindsay Munkvold, RN, CBS who works at the Mobridge Medical Clinic, both worked with a different patient recently who had reservations about breastfeeding. “It was so exciting to see the difference from the night she delivered to the next day,” agreed the two nurses, “She was hesitant at first, but agreed to try it. By morning, she really seemed to be getting the hang of it.”

The new team of Certified Breastfeeding Specialists have been excited about the response they have been getting from other nursing staff members too. “I had one coworker call me and ask me about hand expression and cup feeding,” said Holly Hitland, LPN, CBS. “She had never heard of these techniques and wanted to make sure she was sharing the right information with moms.” The team is planning a lunch and learn for other hospital staff members in July to share what they have learned about breastfeeding. “MRH&C is thankful for this opportunity to invest in our dedicated nursing staff,” shared John J. Ayoub, CEO. “We are proud of their commitment to providing great care to our rural obstetrics patients.”