The Eighth Summit

The Eighth Summit drew to a close at 3:15 pm on Thursday, June 16, 2016, but it did not end quietly. Discussion spilled out into the atrium as the participants continued the animated debate of The First 1000 Days: A Crucial Time for Mothers and Children—And the World. Robert Thurow had stimulated rousing responses to his words. It could not have been said better, the Summit was about the first 1,000 days, that is, pregnancy and the first 2 years of life. Participants had a charge. They were inspired.

Presentations for the two days focused on vital issues for infant, mother, and family. Sensitive issues of one's neighborhood—does zip code matter, does ethnic mix matter? Obesity was seen as a significant issue for pregnancy and the infant. Possible solutions were put forth. Will Baby-Friendly hospitals really impact the neighborhood or change breastfeeding rates? There was concern that a safety net did not exist beyond the hospital gate. The first 1,000 days need a lot of work and a lot of change in the family, the neighborhood, the larger community.

Every group in the room has a responsibility to support the goals, provide the resources, educate their constituents, and forge a plan to change what can be changed. C. Everett Koop concluded at the first Surgeon General's Workshop on Breastfeeding in 1984: “We must identify and reduce barriers which keep women from beginning or continuing to breastfeed their infants.”

Government entities from small towns, counties, states, and nationally have accepted their roles, but the funding is sparse. The cultural and ethnic gaps are closing but the support system for at-risk families is still weak.

The Summits have played a role in gathering the players, designing a map for change, but this too is unfinished. The Ninth Summit will be a year from now for the review of progress, restructuring the plan, and the resurgence of efforts.