Breastfeeding and Lactation Division Is World’s First

A first-of-its-kind breastfeeding and lactation division at URMC is leveraging the expertise of breastfeeding-medicine providers, dentists, toxicologists for medication consulting, family-medicine physicians, and researchers to promote and advance breastfeeding.

Led by Casey Rosen-Carole, MD, MPH, MSEd, FABM (Flw ’16), the division is the culmination of long-standing efforts by the departments of Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology to promote and advance the cause of breastfeeding and lactating families.

“The formation of this division confirms breastfeeding and human lactation belong in the medical field,” said Rosen-Carole.

She credits URMC Professor Emerita Ruth Lawrence (MD ’49, Res ’58) for establishing the modern foundation of breastfeeding as medical practice.

As a fully independent, multi-disciplinary group, the Division of Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine provides a variety of services for patients. The division additionally will work to make breastfeeding accessible for families who may face obstacles due to socio-economic barriers or lack of institutional support.

• Surveillance testing was not strongly associated with cases or deaths during the post-vaccine/pre-omicron phase.

• Frequent surveillance testing was associated with fewer resident cases but no difference in deaths during the omicron wave, a finding consistent with the reduction in vaccine efficacy for preventing COVID infections, but not in preventing hospitalizations and deaths.

“The best evidence recommends that children are breastfed for at least two years, but the world is not set up for lactating families,” said Rosen-Carole. “There remains inadequate paid parental leave, poor coverage for lactation support, and inadequate access to donor milk for most families in this country.”

The division will navigate these obstacles by meeting patients where they are and setting realistic, sustainable goals.

Since 2016, Rosen-Carole has been the director of Lactation Services and has overseen the growth of the program. In 2019, the group established its own clinical site, and in 2020, added third-year fellow Michele Burtner, CNM, MS, IBCLC (Flw ’21, MPH ’21), as assistant director of the program.

In addition to providing clinical services, the division will advance research in human milk and feeding science, best-practice implementation, and breastfeeding education. Bridget Young, PhD, assistant research professor of Pediatrics and Public Health Sciences, is research director of the division.