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- Title
Intervention Strategies and Lessons Learned From a Student-Led Initiative to Support Lactating Women in the University Setting.
- Authors
Bell, Emily; Hunter, Cristina; Benitez, Trista; Uysal, Jasmine; Walovich, Carey; McConnell, Leah; Vega, Christine; Cisneros, Nora; Hidalgo, LeighAnna; Reyes Walton, JoAnna; Wang, May
- Abstract
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.
- Subjects
EDUCATION of parents; COLLEGE students; LACTATION; SOCIAL support; SOCIOLOGY; EVALUATION of human services programs; HEALTH services accessibility; PSYCHOLOGY of mothers; BREASTFEEDING promotion; STAKEHOLDER analysis; ECOLOGY; RE-entry students; HUMAN services programs; BREASTFEEDING; UNIVERSITIES &; colleges; QUALITY assurance; ACCESSIBLE design of public spaces; CONSUMER activism; CHILD health services; SCHOOL administration; THEMATIC analysis; EMPLOYMENT reentry; ADULT education workshops
- Publication
Health Promotion Practice, 2022, Vol 23, Issue 1, p154
- ISSN
1524-8399
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1177/15248399211004283