Can Lactation Consultants Find Appropriate Uses: For the World Health Organization Growth Curves?

Abstract

The release of the World Health Organization growth curves in 2006 enabled lactation consultants and other healthcare practitioners to compare the growth of infants and young children against normal, healthy breastfed infants for the first time. Prior to that, lactation consultants only had access to reference curves that included the less-healthy growth patterns of formula-fed infants. Systematic reviews suggest that while growth curves are widely used, the impact of their use on children’s health and nutrition remains unclear. Program experience has shown growth curves may be useful for promotion of other health services and for education and motivation, but may not be as useful for screening at-risk infants. In light of this experience, lactation consultants might find the best use of growth curves would be to educate mothers, families and other healthcare practitioners about the healthier growth patterns of breastfed infants and to promote feeding practices accordingly.