Aug. 14, 2024 | The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Institute for Community Health Innovation has teamed up with the Cuenta Conmigo Cooperative to enhance breastfeeding support for Spanish-speaking families. Last year, they trained community health workers to become certified lactation counselors (CLCs), equipping them with the skills needed to support breastfeeding mothers. These workers completed 95 hours of training and are now preparing to take the certification exam this fall.
Certified lactation counselors are essential in promoting, protecting, and supporting breastfeeding. They provide clinical breastfeeding support and management to families, particularly those facing challenges with breastfeeding.
Research indicates that many Hispanic women in the U.S. combine breast milk with formula rather than exclusively breastfeeding for the recommended duration. Experts at the Institute for Community Health Innovation believe cultural and language barriers, especially among immigrant women, contribute to these lower rates of exclusive breastfeeding.
“Breastfeeding strengthens the bond between mother and child, but many Hispanic women who don’t speak English struggle to seek breastfeeding advice or assistance,” said Laura Mariana Echavarri Ibarra, a project manager at the institute. “Community health workers play a crucial role in bridging the gap between healthcare providers and expecting mothers, offering support, guidance, and translation — whatever a mom may need.”
By offering lactation counseling in Spanish, these community health workers can help reduce cultural and language barriers, providing Hispanic mothers with the knowledge and techniques they need to successfully breastfeed.
“After completing the training, I feel much more confident in providing breastfeeding information and techniques to my clients,” said Marisela Sandoval, a community health worker with UAMS. “With this new knowledge, I believe my clients will be more inclined to breastfeed for longer periods, ensuring their babies get a healthy start in life.”
Breast milk is a vital source of nutrition for infants, containing essential nutrients that aid in digestion and protect against certain infections. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life to promote optimal growth, development, and health.
Breastfeeding offers numerous benefits for both mother and child, including a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes for the mother and a stronger bond with her baby. For infants, breastfeeding lowers the risk of asthma, childhood obesity, ear infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
In addition to training community health workers, UAMS is working with partners to support families by deploying mobile prenatal care units and expanding doula services across Arkansas. These efforts aim to address gaps in maternal and child health, including providing contraception services and reproductive health education to women in rural areas.
