Breastfeeding Coalition of the Uniformed Services (BECAUSE/BCUS) Update

Military Medicine, Spring 2006

AMSUS Co-Sponsors First National Conference of Breastfeeding Coalitions

AMSUS co-sponsored the first United States Breastfeeding Coalition (USBC) National Conference of State Breastfeeding Coalitions in Alexandria, Virginia, January 21-23, 2006. Over 240 attendees represented 48 States and territories and the Breastfeeding Coalition of the Uniformed Services. Liz Flight, Kathy Thorp, Joan Smith, Dave Louder, several IHS and PHS members represent BECAUSE/ BCUS. AMSUS was listed in the conference syllabus as a contributor as well as thanked on numerous occasions throughout the conference.

The United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) is a collaborative organization of organizations including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and health professional associations. Guided by its mission to improve the Nation's health by working together to promote, support and protect breastfeeding, the USBC continues to work to achieve the national breastfeeding goals of 75% of all newborns initiating breastfeeding, 50% still exclusively breastfeeding at six months, and 25% continuing at one year and beyond. For more information about USBC, visit their website at www.usbreastfeeding.org

The objectives for the two-day conference included;

* Network and collaborate with representatives of state breastfeeding coalitions and leaders in the field of breastfeeding promotion and research.

* Enhance their skills in developing and maintaining active breastfeeding coalitions within each state

* Identify United States resources to enhance breastfeeding rates

* Analyze breastfeeding promotion and support strategies for target populations

* Develop an ongoing mechanism to enhance resource sharing and support.

During the conference, the team learned about coalition building, effective legislative action, education, fundraising, effective programming, workplace strategies, and key research and best practices. Coalitions from California, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, Georgia, Washington and Indiana shared the promising practices to protect, promote and support breastfeeding in their states.

While at the conference, the BECAUSE/BCUS members met and continued to strategize and plan breastfeeding protection, promotion, and support and improving communication among the uniformed services. Committee will meet again at the Uniformed Services Pediatric Seminar, Portsmouth, VA, 16 March 2006. For more information, please contact Captain Julia B Block, MS, USNR

Babies Were Born to be Breastfedl

Julia D. Block, CAPT, MC, USNR jadblock221@pol.net

AAP Uniformed Services East Coast Chapter

Breastfeeding Coordinator

AMSUS USBC Representative

USBC Workplace Breastfeeding Support Work Group

USBC Policy and Procedures Committee

AMSUS Online Resource Library adds a weekly tip to help you improve patient safety

Some exciting new content was added to the Weekly Literature Update of AMSUS Online Resource Library in early March. In recognition of National Patient Safety Week, the Weekly Literature Update now features a new section with a different Technique to Improve Patient Safety (TIPS) each week from the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the leading authority on patient safety and health care improvement. Weekly TIPS will be provided FREE of charge.

Patient safety is a critical topic for health care professionals practicing in a wide variety of disciplines and settings. We are confident that you will find TIPS a valuable addition to the Weekly Literature Update.

Each weekly TIPS message supports the aim of AMSUS Online Resource Library to help you to keep up with the latest developments taking place in your field.

AMSUS Online Resource Library a service provided by AMSUS, provides busy members an easy and efficient way to keep up with the book and journal literature in their chosen areas of interest.

In addition to the free weekly TIPS from the Joint Commission AMSUS Online Resource Library gives you access to two time-saving resources at no charge:

The Weekly Literature Update from AMSUS - An e-mail that comes every week to alert you to the newest books, reviews and journal article citations and abstracts in just your areas of interest, along with society news and announcements and the weekly patient safety tip. (Free to members)

Doody's Book Review Service The most trusted source of expert reviews of health sciences books and software, updated weekly with new reviews and new titles, now with more than 100,000 book and software titles. (Free to members)

Members are also eligible for a FREE 60-Day Trial to the Premium component of AMSUS Online Resource Library:

ON-LINE Literature Review- Medical Librarians sift through the thousands of journal article citations and abstracts

added each week to Medline®, in order to alert you to just the information you need, based on your customized profile.

ON-LINE Literature Review can save you even more time:

* Filter Medline® results for type of article (clinical trial, patient education, etc.)