Policy Pick: New Bill to Encourage Breastfeeding in Hospitals

SB 502, the Hospital Infant Feeding Protection Act, would require hospitals with perinatal units to have a clearly posted infant feeding policy. The policy would have to be communicated to all staff on a perinatal unit, and would apply to all infants. If passed, hospitals would have until Jan. 1, 2014, to develop and post these policies.

According to the California WIC Association (CWA), nearly 90 percent of women intend to breastfeed when they enter the hospital; however, practices in those hospitals often discourage mothers from breastfeeding. These practices include separating mothers from babies, delaying a mother's first breastfeeding and giving formula to an infant whose mother plans to breastfeed.

"Every child - no matter what hospital they are born into - deserves a healthy start in life," Pavley said. "Hospitals that have infant feeding policies that prioritize breastfeeding have an enormous impact on breastfeeding successes and, consequently, infant health. Increasing breastfeeding rates could also save millions of dollars in unnecessary health expenditures that burden our state."

Both the World Health Organization and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend mother's exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of a baby's life, according to CWA. CWA further states that breastfeeding significantly reduces the likelihood of developing infections and chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and asthma, later in life.

Additional Reading: 

California Department of Public Health Breastfeeding Statistics