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CME Credit Offered
CME Credit Offered
Abstract Award
Abstract Award
Recording available 2/16-5/2
Recording available 2/16-5/2
AIUM Credit
AIUM Credit
Foundation Awardee
Foundation Awardee
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Abstract Award
Abstract Award
Foundation Awardee
Foundation Awardee

Poster Session 1

Category: Health Equity/Community Health

Poster Session 1

(271) Breastfeeding peer counseling and breastmilk feeding disparities in very low birthweight Infants

Wednesday, February 11, 2026
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM  
Objective:
Breastmilk is medicine for very low birthweight (VLBW) infants < 1500g, but Black VLBW infants are less likely to receive breastmilk feedings than white infants. We examined whether a breastfeeding peer counseling (BPC) intervention reduced racial disparities in breastmilk feeding for VLBW infants. 

Study Design:
BPC was delivered as standard care for all infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) starting January 2024. The BPC counseled NICU families on the benefits of breastfeeding and assisted with breast pumping, milk management, and infant feeding as often parents visited or requested. Feeding flowsheets were abstracted for all infants discharged pre-intervention 2015-2020 and in the first program year 2024. Race and ethnicity were abstracted from the infant medical record. Breastmilk feeding at discharge was coded if the infant received any breastmilk (mother’s own milk or donor milk) in the 24 hours prior to hospital discharge, and proportion of breastmilk feeds was also calculated.

Results:
Data were available for 623 infants over the study period, 522 pre-intervention and 101 in the first program year. The average dyad received 2.6 encounters with the BPC, and the range was 1-27 encounters depending on infant length of stay. Percent of breastmilk feedings in the 24 hours prior to discharge for the overall NICU population increased from 27% in the year pre-intervention to 33% in the first program year (Fig 1). Among VLBW infants, the percent receiving breastmilk prior to discharge increased from 54% to 85% (Fig 2). Pre-intervention, white infants were more than twice as likely to receive breastmilk at discharge compared to Black infants (61% versus 29%), however after the first program year the gap shrank by 16 percentage points (86% versus 70%).

Conclusion:

A BPC intervention was associated with an increase in breastmilk feedings for VLBW infants and a reduction in breastfeeding disparities. Future research should evaluate the strategies of BPC associated with disparities reduction to improve lactation care.