LAUSR

In the early decades of the 21 century in the United States, over 80% of women initiate breastfeeding their infants at birth; however, there are still significant health disparities with African American women having a 20% lower breastfeeding initiation rate. Pediatric nurses have a key role to play in helping all mothers and their families make an informed feeding decision. Nursing care includes sharing the science of humanmilk with families and helping them to understand the dose response relationship of breastfeeding. The longer and more exclusively an infant receives human milk, the more health benefits are available for that child. The mother also experiences increased health benefits with longer lifetime lactation duration.