No lazy days of summer here at NICHQ! Meghan Johnson, project lead for NICHQ’s new breastfeeding project with the New York State Department of Health, talks about building on NICHQ’s breastfeeding knowledge and putting new quality improvement skills into practice for big impact. The result? We’ll be helping to improve care for mothers and babies at nearly every facility providing maternity services in the state of New York. Read More.

The first six weeks of an infant’s life can be challenging for mom and baby, especially for establishing breastfeeding. Support from hospital staff, lactation consultants and other professionals is important, but the strongest key to success for a new mom may be having the support of her family. Recognizing the unique and strong influence that a women’s mother and/or mother-in-law can have, some hospitals are creating classes and outreach specifically for grandmothers. Read More.

As the U.S. sees an increase—160 percent in the last two decades—in the number of residents speaking languages other than English at home, the American healthcare system must adapt to communicate effectively with patients. Here are four tips to guide healthcare providers as they develop new materials that are culturally and linguistically appropriate. Read More.

Last month, hundreds of federal, state and local public health officials, Medicaid directors and public and private agency representatives from across the United States gathered together in Arlington, VA, for the CoIIN Infant Mortality Summits. Why is this work so important? Because the U.S. has one of the worst infant mortality rates among industrialized nations—and so many of these deaths are preventable. Read More.