Wichita State University School of Nursing instructor Jolynn Dowling has played an integral part in Wichita’s pursuit of the "Community Supporting Breastfeeding" (CSB) designation.
Dowling, who has worked at WSU since 2005, submitted an application to the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition Inc. for Wichita to receive assistance to achieve this designation.
Dowling worked in neonatal care for 17 years, and has long been interested in promoting education and support for mothers who are considering breastfeeding. With increased support and awareness, Dowling hopes to make an impact on the infant mortality rate in Wichita, which exceeds the national average as of the most recent study.
“There’s really been a surge in momentum in knowing that women go into their pregnancy intending to breastfeed, but they don’t get the support and encouragement to continue,” Dowling said.
In order to achieve the designation, communities must have the following:
- local breastfeeding coalition
- breastfeeding support group
- hospital committed to providing maternity care supportive of breastfeeding
- businesses that support their breastfeeding employees
- businesses that support mothers needing to breastfeed in their establishment
- child care providers that support breastfeeding families
Wichita was selected to receive assistance because of its demonstrated commitment to helping mothers reach their personal breastfeeding goals. This commitment stemmed from the knowledge that while 77 percent of women in Kansas have the intention to breastfeed their children, six months later only 11 percent are following through.
Increasing knowledge of the problem among members of the community is what Dowling hopes will engage them to be involved in the process of receiving this designation. Members of the local breastfeeding coalition are asking area businesses to display a “Breastfeeding Welcome Here” window decal, and employers are encouraged to apply for the “Breastfeeding Employee Support Award.”
With the assistance of the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Bureau of Family Health, Wichita’s goal is to achieve the CSB designation by July 1, 2016.