A Community Partnership to Support Breastfeeding Mothers of Late Preterm Infants

Mothers of late preterm infants need timely breastfeeding support after hospital discharge. Breastfeeding peer counselors with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) can provide this support, but communication with hospitals is needed to facilitate early contact with women. We aimed to develop and implement a sustainable organizational process that would expedite support by providing WIC peer counselors access to mothers of late preterm infants before hospital discharge. Key strategies included creating a workable process; addressing barriers and stakeholder concerns; planning a pilot program to test the process; and inviting the WIC breastfeeding peer counselors to tour the hospital, meet nursing staff, and practice scripting their initial encounter with mothers. The organizational pathway currently is being implemented throughout the health system