August is National Breastfeeding Month — this month is dedicated to advancing advocacy, protection, and promotion to ensure that all families have the opportunity to breastfeed. Many Academy members work with women through their breastfeeding journey, providing nutrition counseling and encouragement that supports this physically strenuous time. RDNs can play an essential role in helping all women who choose to breastfeed their babies this way. Having data to support this impact is an important part of quantifying the value of these services by RDNs.
The Academy Foundation, along with the Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group and Women’s Health DPG, is currently supporting the ANDHII Breastfeeding Registry, a study conducted in partnership between the Academy research team and Dr. Casey Colin from the University of North Florida. This study aims to examine the documentation of RDNs currently working with clients who are breastfeeding to identify predictors of nutrition problem resolution. The study will also examine nutrition outcomes in the documentation of nutrition outcomes, such as infant body weight and breastfeeding duration. Participating RDNs work with patients and clients in hospitals and WIC clinics.
Learn more about the study and the important role of RDNs in breastfeeding support at this year’s FNCE session called “Advancing Breastfeeding Support: Leveraging Medical Nutrition Therapy for Improved Public Health Outcomes”.
Research like this, funded through our Academy Foundation, is one way your support and donations help improve our profession and empower Academy members to be leaders in optimizing global health. I urge you to check out the other research Academy Foundation funds through donor support – click here!
Gifts to our Academy Foundation make an impact on thousands of Academy members each year through scholarships, awards, research grants, fellowships and disaster relief efforts. We would not be able to do this without your generous support.
Sincerely,
Marcia Kyle, RDN, CDCES, LD, FAND
2024-2025 Academy Foundation Chair
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