Committee on Breastfeeding Support and Promotion
Chair
--Cinny Kittle, MS, West Virginia Hospital Association
Members:
--Kathy Bailey RN, IBCLC, Raleigh General Hospital Mary Boyd MD,
Breastfeeding Coordinator American Academy of Pediatrics, WV Chapter
--Mary
Caldwell, IBCLC, Valley Health, Inc., WV WIC
--Paula Darby, RN, First Care
Services, Right From The Start
--Kathy Dittmar RN, Maternity/Newborn Nursing
Director Reynolds Memorial Hospital
--Brenda Johnson, RN, First Care Services,
RCC Right From the Start
--Barbara Lott, RN, Children’s Home Society, RCC
Right From The Start
--Jenny Morris IBCLC, RLC, Valley Health, Inc., WV WIC
--Jamie Peden, RN, IBCLC, CAMC Womens and Children’s Hospital
--Molly
Scarborough RN, BSN, IBCLC, RNC, CCE, CPST, Greenbrier Valley Medical Center
--Stephanie Whitney CLC, Breastfeeding Coordinator WVDHHR WIC Committee
Staff
--Cinny Kittle, MS, West Virginia Hospital Association
Breastfeeding
Although
much is known about the benefits of breastfeeding, for both the baby and the
mother, breastfeeding rates in West Virginia are well below the national
average.
Several factors have been identified as possible reasons for the
lower than average breastfeeding rates in the state, including cultural and
professional bias against breastfeeding, intense marketing of infant
formula, lack of breastfeeding education and support services, lack of
support at the worksite for breastfeeding mothers, and concerns related to
social acceptability of breastfeeding in public.
The Partnership is
actively working to effect policy changes that will encourage breastfeeding.
Our efforts are detailed in the
Reports on the Blueprint to Improve West Virginia Perinatal Health.
