Intervention Strategies and Lessons Learned From a Student-Led Initiative to Support Lactating Women in the University Setting
| Autor: | Carey Walovich, Cristina Hunter, LeighAnna Hidalgo, Emily Bell, May Wang, Trista Benitez, Leah McConnell, Nora Cisneros, Jasmine Uysal, Christine Vega, JoAnna Reyes Walton |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Medical education
Nursing (miscellaneous) Universities education Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Breastfeeding Equity (finance) Infant Mothers Infant health Health equity Breast Feeding Work (electrical) Intervention (counseling) Public university Social ecological model Humans Lactation Female Psychology Students |
| Zdroj: | Health promotion practice. 23(1) |
| ISSN: | 1524-8399 |
| Popis: | The benefits of breastfeeding for mother and baby are strongly supported by research. However, lactating parents who return to school or work soon after delivery face many barriers to continued breastfeeding. This article presents a student-led initiative to support lactation at a large public university that emerged from advocacy efforts of student mothers of color. The socioecological model was used as a framework to understand and address the multifaceted influences on breastfeeding practices. Project activities included providing breastfeeding education to lactating parents and their partners, measuring availability and accessibility of lactation spaces, improving lactation spaces, connecting university stakeholders, and strengthening university lactation policies. The project achieved the following outcomes: formation of a stakeholder group with members across campus departments, improvement in accessibility and appropriateness of lactation spaces, provision of breastfeeding services through workshops and one-on-one appointments with lactation educators, and creation and dissemination of an online toolkit outlining parents’ lactation rights and support available on campus. Comprehensive lactation support at universities is essential to enhance educational and professional equity for women and to promote postpartum and infant health. Throughout the project implementation, the team learned many lessons that can help guide similar university initiatives. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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