title: The Mother-Baby Assessment (MBA): an "Apgar score" for breastfeeding.
abstract: Communication about breastfeeding among health workers is hampered by the lack of a standardized method of documentation for breastfeeding. Scoring methods previously described by Matthews, Jenks, and Bocar and Shrago focus on the baby's behavior. I am proposing a "Mother-Baby Assessment (MBA) Score," a ten-point assessment of maternal and infant breastfeeding behavior. The assessment system may be used to track the progress of a mother-baby pair as they learn how to breastfeed, and also may be useful in hospital charting, when making referrals, when practicing triage, or when conducting research.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mulford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011187:Posture; D002666:Psychology, Child