Continuity of care is a standard to safeguard a mother’s continued success with exclusive breastfeeding. All breastfeeding mothers should be offered information on follow up care, especially those being discharged that required breastfeeding interventions such as alternative feeding equipment and specialized feeding instructions (Supplemental Nursing System (SNS), nipple shield, breast pump, etc.).
Inform mother of community resources available for post-discharge breastfeeding support. Include:
- Community-based breastfeeding support resources, such as health clinics and nonprofit groups. These can often be located through local WIC clinics and La Leche League.
- Contact phone numbers, e-mail addresses and evidenced-based websites as available
- Hospital-sponsored support groups, outpatient clinics, and education
- Local and national breastfeeding support groups and counselors offering after-hours help
Appointments to consider prior to hospital discharge:
For infant:
- Appointments with a physician or a physician-supervised, breastfeeding-trained licensed provider within 48-72 hours after discharge from the facility (AAP, 2012) and again in the next week (ABM Protocol #7).
For mother:
- Any early postpartum visits for special circumstances such as depression, hypertension and surgical incision checks.
- Routine postpartum visits.
- Follow up appointment refer to WIC for:
- Enrolling in WIC
- Assistance with breastfeeding
- Nutrition counseling
Additional visits for the mother and infant are recommended until all clinical issues are resolved (e.g. weight gain is well established, jaundice resolving).
