PA-Breastfeeding Coalition Minutes of meeting April 24, 2001

Present:
Martha Kautz, Kathy Romberger, Rosa Snyder-Boyd, Jeanne Spencer, Cindy Maki, Eloise Gomola, Judy Heald, Karen Foard, Kay Hoover, Wendy Shore, Christie Zacchero
Next meetings:

All Wednesdays:
7/10/02 Harrisburg Frederickson Center building
Will include directions and phone number for location with meeting minutes Call Kathy R. for info.

10/23/02 South Ridge Motor Lodge St College

Minutes from Jan bridge call accepted

Kathy Romberger's Treasurer's report was approved:

Current balance $1627.78

EIN number has been attached.

Old Business:
Karen has modified the lady in the state logo and has purchased a small amount of letterhead. We also have the letterhead as a disc or email file for distribution. Cost for graphic artist is $200.

Plan to attach new letterhead to the minutes

We have been having difficulty-contacting Barb regarding a second printing of the posters and updating the web site. We will try paging her.

Rosa has updated the member list. Thanks. We will finish this year with the current system of recording in kind donations for the 501c at each meeting. Beginning July we will report annually.

The board sent letter of support for a "Loving Support Grant" for PA WIC. The grant is from the USDA has a number of grants for social marketing through Best Start. The grant targets the southwestern part of the state and would support a lactation consultant in that area. Monies would also pay for marketing materials. This area was targeted as it has been lagging behind breastfeeding rate goals. Cindy is optimistic for the grant's success.

Across the state funding for WIC has been cut and this has been detrimental to bf efforts. Fewer parents are using WIC and the nutritious food has been perceived as less valuable to potential clients.

The phone conference is 5/22/02 at 12:15-1:30. Info for sign up is at www.paaap.org. or call 800-337-2227. The conference is free and physician participants receive a free copy of Hale's 2002 text and other great informational handouts.

New Business:
In 2001 the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NAAN) issued a statement on Cup and Finger Feeding of Breast Milk (3017) which recommends that "before the introduction of cup feeding or fingerfeeding into a neonatal unit or nursery, the practice must be carefully evaluated for physiologic soundness, risks and safety, and possible benefits." Because of this the NICU's in Lancaster County are limiting alternative feeding methods. Martha will contact the PA NAAN representative Jane Fisher and invite her to join the coalition and Jeanne will raise the issue with the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine listserv.

In York there is a problem with Babywise, 2nd edition. Conservative religious groups have embraced this book. The new book is toned down from the older version but does recommend limiting breastfeeding to encourage discipline. For info disputing Babywise see www.aap.org for a media alert from the AAP on Babywise or Dr. Matthew Aney's files at <http://www.ezzo.info/>www.ezzo.info or articles from the Christian Research Institute. Dr Dobson also has a reputable text. The coalition can include this topic in a future newsletter.

Medical Assistance patients are being asked to pick a managed care provider. The HMO's all have particular rules for accessing breastpumps.

WIC won't have increased pump availability. Some providers are providing inadequate pumps. Scott Bucher at the health department follows up on complaints in this area. Add phone number to minutes Kay has had success in dealing with the managed care organizations by using this route. Some pumps are delayed because they are mailed out. Some vendors require credit cards. Medela has a grant program that can help indigent patients. Call Medela customer service 800-435-8316.

PAMILK conference is 10/11-12. Karen discussed getting a display board for the coalition. Eloise suggested that a hospital may be able to make an in kind donation. We'd like a board that photos etc could be velcroed on.

Sharing

Wendy- The Rowan Tree Project-a new start up company, is producing discharge bags for use by hospitals. These would replace the formula company discharge packs. Packs include Lansinoh, breastpads, diaper diary. Call 717-227-1225 for Shannon Macdunnell.

Martha- has found a pharmacist who will compound domperidone. This has fewer side effects than reglan. Williams Apothecary, Lancaster, PA- Diane Boomsa Get contact info from Martha. She is willing to ship.

Martex bioscience, James Huffman med director announces that Enfamil Lipil has been licensed. Contains DHA and ARA. Research has shown that adding DHA and ARA helps premies but isn't needed by full term. This formula is marketed for full term infants.

Kay- attended the European LC conference in Basil Switzerland. Representatives from many countries were there. A gorilla zookeeper was a speaker. Kay shared his book. Kay shared a draped baby carrier. Our state coalition web site was mentioned in a list of bf websites presented in German at the conference. Jan Riordan published a new study refining which assessment tools for bf are useful. 4 measures were useful when assessing a first or second day feeding:

Audible swallows
Length of time before latch for that feed
Rhythmic swallows
Sucking

Karen: wondered about the high prevalence or diagnosis and treatment for reflux. She wonders about the psych effects of reglan on infants. The nutritionist at the PAMILK conference will be discussing recommendations for the maternal diet. We also discussed vitamin D supplementation for all bf infants. Rickets is easily treated but hard for doctors to diagnose since it is rare.

Professional Ed- see phone conference info above

Research Committee: A letter with newsletter on medications will be sent to all the pharmacists from the hospitals across the state. Next project is to survey all the Managed Care Companies from across the state advising them of the benefits of breastfeeding and the use of pumps and asking them for their policies.

Public Relations
We will send out a mailing ASAP to the county contacts advising them of the phone conference. We are still working on the next full newsletter.

Respectfully submitted
Jeanne Spencer, MD

Addendum:
Ruth Wilf was planning to come to the meeting today. Her husband was going to fly her in; they would arrive around 9:00 am. I was going to pick her up at the airport and bring her to the meeting. However, at 7:30 am she called to say she had broken her foot when she stepped out her front door to walk her dog. She was all pack and ready to come to the meeting and very disappointed that she would not be with all of us for the day.

Kay