California WIC Association (CWA) hosts an educational forum to discuss how low-to-no-cost policy reforms can dramatically increase health equity in California. Policy briefing sponsored by the Senate Health Committee.

WHEN:             Friday, April 8, 2011, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

WHERE:           State Capitol, Room 2040, Sacramento

WHO:

• Karen Farley, RD, IBCLC, California WIC Association
• Dr. Emily Hannon, MD, Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento, Department of Pediatrics
• Kiran Saluja, MPH, RD, Deputy Director, PHFE WIC, Los Angeles
• Clarese Hill, IBCLC, Peer Counselor Coordinator, County of Riverside WIC Program
• Genevieve Colvin, Program Coordinator, Worksite Lactation Accommodation, Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater LA
• Gloria Ramirez, Senior Deputy Labor Commissioner, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, Department of Industrial Relations
• Employer
• Breastfeeding Mother

WHY: Mothers face many challenges to breastfeeding – beginning at the hospital, then continuing as they return to the workforce. In order to overcome these barriers, California must adopt strong policies that fully support a woman to breastfeed her child right after birth and when she returns to work.

While legislation is in place to ensure working mothers have adequate time and an appropriate place to express breast milk during the workday, hospital breastfeeding policies not consistent and often inadequate.  New legislation,SB 502 (Authored by Senators Pavley and DeLeon), has been introduced to ensure that all California hospitals have an infant-feeding policy and that it is clearly posted.

CWA and UC Davis Human Lactation Center’s report, “One Hospital at a Time; Overcoming Barriers to Breastfeeding” highlights the need for more “Baby Friendly Hospitals” in California to ensure an infant has the best possible start to life.

A majority of California’ s new mothers work and need to be able to nourish their infants. Even with California’s workplace policies on breastfeeding, employers need more guidance for providing an affirmative approach. They need to provide an affirmative approach with new and prospective employees about their right to breastfeed in the workplace.

Breastfeeding has been well established worldwide as a low-cost preventive intervention with far-reaching benefits for mothers and babies and demonstrable and significant cost-saving for health providers and employers.

Health equity can only be achieved through policy reforms. Breastfeeding success is dependent upon legislators and stakeholders engaging in a relevant dialogue about improvements in breastfeeding policy that can have positive societal and health impacts on California.

Established in 1992, the California WIC Association (CWA) is a non-profit organization formed by directors of local WIC agencies. CWA represents all entities interested in the operation of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC.) California is the nation’s largest WIC program with 84 local agencies serving approximately 1.5 million participants at 650 local centers.

Capitol Briefing Focuses on Reforms Needed for Hospital and Workplace Breastfeeding Policies