Background and objectives: Despite the importance of breastfeeding, most US women do not meet recommendations for length of any or exclusive breastfeeding. Support in primary care settings is recommended (US Preventive Services Task Force, 2016), but optimal implementation strategies are not established. We evaluated the effect on breastfeeding rates of on-site breastfeeding support within an academic family medicine center with a diverse patient population.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review 10 months before and 10 months following the implementation of integrated breastfeeding support provided by an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) or MD-IBCLC. Two hundred eighty-one infants were identified, 140 before implementation and 141 after. A research assistant extracted data from the electronic medical record. We performed bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses using STATA.
Results: There were no significant demographic differences before and after the intervention. The proportion of infants with any breastfeeding at 2, 4, and 6 months was greater in the postimplementation group (71.7% vs 86.7% at 2 months, P=.05; 61.5% vs 77.1% at 4 months, P=.08; and 50.7% vs 64.4%, P=.09 at 6 months). The proportion of infants exclusively breastfed was also greater in the postimplementation group (58.7% vs 77.8% at 2 months, P=.04; 50.5% vs. 54.2% at 4 months, P=.06; and 44.0% vs 49.3% at 6 months, P=.12).
Conclusions: Providing on-site IBCLC breastfeeding support services within an academic family medicine clinic is associated with significant increases in breastfeeding, supporting the provision of lactation services on-site where mothers and children receive primary care.