Abstract
This month, I would like to highlight perhaps one of our most important, most productive, and without a doubt the hardest working committee: The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) Protocol Committee. This committee, currently led by Dr. Kaili Stehel, is responsible for the creation of evidence-based and world-renowned clinical protocols for our organization. There are currently 33 protocols, many of which have been translated from English into 10 other languages (Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Ukrainian).
ABM is committed to ensuring these protocols are available for free viewing and download at the following two places (https://www.bfmed.org/protocols and https://www.bfmed.org/abm-education-center). Annually, there are ∼150,000 downloads, with Protocol #6, Bedsharing and Breastfeeding being the most popular in the past 18 months.
Members of the committee include Melissa Bartick, Sarah Calhoun, Laura Kair, Susan Lappin, Ilse Larson, Yvonne LeFort, Nicole Marshall, Katrina Mitchell, Lawrence Noble, Susan Rothenberg, Kaili Stehel, Tomoko Seo, Gina Weissman, Nancy Wight, Lori Feldman-Winter, Adora Okogbule-Wonodi, Michal Young, and Deena Zimmerman.
Since January 2021, the following protocols and statements have been published either new or as revisions:
Protocol #2: Guidelines for Birth Hospitalization Discharge of Breastfeeding Dyads, March 2022.
Protocol #36: The Mastitis Spectrum, May 2022.
Statement: Recommended Core Competencies for Specialists Practicing Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine, July 2022.
Statement: Breastfeeding as a Basic Human Right, August 2022.
Protocols that are currently in the pipeline for revision or development and due for publication soon are: Protocol #19, Breastfeeding Promotion in the Prenatal Setting, January 2023 and Protocol #5, Peripartum Breastfeeding Medicine, February 2023. Following shortly behind will be an update on Protocol #18, Perinatal Mood Disorders and Protocol #21, Substance Use and Breastfeeding.
Be on the lookout for two new features:
Protocols will have continuing education credits and questions available free to members and for a small fee for others through the education center (https://www.bfmed.org/abm-education-center). We are working on some patient-facing handouts that will be available for members to download to use in their practice. The first handout will be on bedsharing safety and will complement Protocol #6 Bedsharing and Breastfeeding.
The process for developing and revising clinical protocols is extensive. First the protocol committee identifies protocols and statements in need of creation or revision, a team of international experts is convened representing various disciplines, practice settings, clinical approaches, and regions of the world. A thorough literature review is performed, and recommendations are crafted. They are always looking for new members to join in this work and interested parties can send an e-mail to abm@bfmed.org to find out more.
The literature and recommendations are evaluated and ranked according to the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Recommendations on Changes to Classification of Levels of Evidence for Clinical Protocols, 2021, using the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy. The protocol is reviewed by the protocol committee, other relevant international experts, and the board before being approved for publication in the Breastfeeding Medicine journal.
At ABM, we are always looking to improve our procedures and ensure dissemination of the highest level of evidence-based information. We are also committed to transparency on issues for which the evidence is divided and/or nonexistent. At ABM, we strive to promote, distill, and disseminate evidence-based knowledge and research that improves clinical care and is diverse, inclusive, translational, and globally accessible. I know I speak on behalf of the entire organization in expressing gratitude for the hard work, dedication, and passion of the ABM protocol committee!