Increasing Breastfeeding Rates

Our Approach

NICHQ brought together a team of improvement advisors and content experts from across the country to refine the key drivers for change. Following, we developed a driver diagram and change package to guide participating hospitals to improve maternity care practices. We recommended assembling multidisciplinary teams, including a physician champion, a maternal/child nurse champion, a senior administrative leader, a parent partner and community representatives. Using NICHQ’s unique change management approach, teams convened for in-person learning sessions, virtual webinar coaching meetings, and one-on-one support to learn how to overcome challenges to systems change and implement the change package in their unique setting. NICHQ continuously engaged with team participants and faculty to supplement change efforts through our private online resource sharing and data hub, the Collaboratory. We also collaborated with the United States Breastfeeding Committee to strengthen prenatal and postpartum breastfeeding support outside the hospital.