BREASTFEEDING MEDICINE Volume 9, Number 7, 2014 ª Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2014.9980

Editorial

The Power of the Summit Ruth A. Lawrence

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ummit is defined in the dictionary as ‘‘a conference or meeting of high level leaders, usually called to shape a program of action.’’ On June 12, 2009, on the 25th anniversary of the Surgeon General’s workshop on breastfeeding and human lactation, the First Annual Summit on Breastfeeding was assembled by Breastfeeding Medicine and sponsored by the Kellogg Foundation. The purpose of that summit was to bring together high-level leaders in government, healthcare provision, healthcare policy, and healthcare reimbursement to shape a program of action regarding breastfeeding and human lactation. The process began with the template laid down at the workshop in 1984 by C. Everett Koop, MD, ScD. Each year we look to the insights from the previous year’s discussions for guidance in the path forward. The goal is to increase the number of women initiating breastfeeding, continuing exclusive breastfeeding, and achieving longer durations of exclusive breastfeeding by harnessing the commitment and action in the public sector, at the federal, state, and local levels, and the private sector. We must achieve consensus on viable, effective, costsaving plans to advance the initiation and duration of breastfeeding among all mothers and infants. The informed commitment at all levels and in all sectors is essential. This Sixth Summit has concluded. The following pages include a recounting of the messages from the major speakers. The summary

on pp. 361–365 outlines the issues and the action plans proposed by the participants. The concept of a summit has become a lightning rod in the breastfeeding community as many summits have been held across the country emulating the process initiated by Breastfeeding Medicine in 2009. These local summits have relied on high-level local experts to discuss local issues that obstruct mothers from reaching their breastfeeding objectives. It is hoped that this abundance of summits will actually facilitate the awareness of issues at the local level. Better yet, it is hoped that this evolution of summits will actually stimulate the actions proposed by the meetings in Washington as they are tailored to be effective in a variety of environments from Maine to California. There has been measurable progress in many venues. Women in the workplace have been affected everywhere as a result of activity stimulated by the Office of Women’s Health. Reimbursement has improved as more and more insurance companies have seen the financial benefit of providing support for breastfeeding and women who breastfeed. A very major impact has been made by the creation, publication, and distribution of the Call to Action from the Surgeon General’s office. The step-by-step action plan has facilitated considerable local progress. And what is left to do? As we plan the Seventh Summit for next June, we hope to

Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong, Rochester, New York.

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have an accounting from all the departments, agencies, and responsible government officers of their stewardship. The real measure of these summits will be seen in the number of mothers who initiate breastfeeding, the number who continue exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, and the number of mothers from low-income minority populations who hear the call to enhance their mothering by breastfeeding. Follow-up will include documentation of reimbursement for services and availability of resources for women returning to work.

EDITORIAL

Policy changes have been the hallmark of previous summits. This will continue. The development of regional and local summits can become an epidemic that will ensure the establishment of breastfeeding as the norm in every city, town, and village in the country. While C. Everett Koop started the work, it will take thousands of people, organizations, legislators, businesses, and especially mothers to perpetuate the energy generated here. —Ruth A. Lawrence, MD, FABM Editor-in-Chief

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