Improving Lactation Support Through Stakeholder-Driven Change in an Academic Medical Center

article describes how institutional leaders, staff advocates, and student collaborators partnered to improve lactation accommodations at a large, land-grant, R1 Carnegie-designated university in Central Appalachia. Guided by a facility audit and a 15-item electronic survey, the Chief Wellness Officer, Employee Experience Board, and Women's Resource Center identified barriers related to room availability, comfort, and privacy. In response, the institution implemented a series of changes, including furniture upgrades, enhanced privacy features, signage, educational materials for supervisors and staff, and systems for monitoring room use and cleanliness. This process underscores the importance of stakeholder engagement, cross-unit collaboration, and data-driven advocacy in developing replicable improvements to lactation support that can be scaled within academic medical centers and adapted internationally.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Human Lactation
Published
2026-04-20
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/08903344261431943
Primary Topic
Breastfeeding Practices and Influences
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Improving Lactation Support Through Stakeholder-Driven Change in an Academic Medical Center

Leslie E. Tower, Jodi Vincent, Cara Sedney
Journal of Human Lactation
Breastfeeding Practices and Influences
article

Improving Lactation Support Through Stakeholder-Driven Change in an Academic Medical Center

Leslie E. Tower, Jodi Vincent, Cara Sedney
article en

Abstract

article describes how institutional leaders, staff advocates, and student collaborators partnered to improve lactation accommodations at a large, land-grant, R1 Carnegie-designated university in Central Appalachia. Guided by a facility audit and a 15-item electronic survey, the Chief Wellness Officer, Employee Experience Board, and Women's Resource Center identified barriers related to room availability, comfort, and privacy. In response, the institution implemented a series of changes, including furniture upgrades, enhanced privacy features, signage, educational materials for supervisors and staff, and systems for monitoring room use and cleanliness. This process underscores the importance of stakeholder engagement, cross-unit collaboration, and data-driven advocacy in developing replicable improvements to lactation support that can be scaled within academic medical centers and adapted internationally.

Journal of Human Lactation
West Virginia University (US), West Virginia University Hospitals (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 10%
Breastfeeding Practices and Influences
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Improving Lactation Support Through Stakeholder-Driven Change in an Academic Medical Center — Leslie E. Tower, Jodi Vincent, et al. · Journal of Human Lactation (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS