ABM Protocol and Statement Updates!

Today I wear my dual hats as ABM Protocol Chair and ABM Blogger.  It came to the attention of the Protocol Committee that there were typos/errors in a couple of our ABM protocols after publication.  Two protocols have been corrected in the on-line copies for Breastfeeding Medicine previously, and have now been updated on the ABM website as of today. 

Here are the corrections that have been made:

1.  Protocol #3—Supplementation—Volume 4, Number 3:

  Table 3, page 178  under “Time” the second line was originally printed 24-28 hours; correction is 24-48 hours.

2.  Protocol #7—Model Hospital Policy—Volume 5, Number 4:

  Page 176 and in the listing of the Ten Steps.  Step #6: only the US version require that hospitals purchase their formula.  The original published text stated: 

   6.  Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated. (A hospital must pay fair market price for all formula and infant feeding supplies that it uses and cannot accept free or heavily discounted formula and supplies.)

Now it correctly and in keeping with the original, international Ten Steps says:

  6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated.

I will let you know if any future changes occur in published protocols or statements. 

And by the way, the just published issue of Breastfeeding Medicine contains ABM’s second Statement, Educational Objectives and Skills for the Physician with Respect to Breastfeeding.  Check it out in the latest Journal (Breastfeeding Medicine. April 2011, 6(2): 99-105).  Our first ABM Statement, Position on Breastfeeding (Breastfeeding Medicine 2008;3(4):267-270), can be found under the “About Us” tab on our web page right now.  As we now have two statements, and several more on the way, we are setting up a “Statements” section on our Protocol page to make them easy to find all in one place.  Please be a little patient with us!  Our newest statement will be on our website soon!

Kathleen Marinelli MD, IBCLC, FABM is a neonatologist a Board member of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, and Chair of the ABM Protocol Committee.

Posts on this blog reflect the opinions of individual ABM members, not the organization as a whole.