title: Supporting breastfeeding mothers in hospital: part 1.
abstract: Breastfeeding makes a vital contribution to the health and development of babies, as well as to long term health. Establishing breastfeeding may not be easy even for mothers with healthy full-term babies. Mothers in the paediatric environment experience additional challenges: sick babies, delayed onset of breastfeeding and having to establish and maintain breastfeeding in situations where privacy may be limited and anxiety levels high. This first part of a two-part article describes the development of a breastfeeding support service in a tertiary children's hospital. Institutional support, a dedicated post and a planned programme of training and education, with the development of specific resource materials, have resulted in a service that closely matches the expressed needs of mothers.
authors.affiliation: Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wallis
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harper
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003657:Decision Making; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006292:Health Priorities; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007255:Information Services; D007318:Inservice Training; D020407:Internet; D008131:London; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016730:Program Development; D011634:Public Health; D012944:Social Support