Obstacles to initiation and continuation
of breastfeeding include insufficient prenatal education about breastfeeding132, 133; disruptive hospital policies and practices134; inappropriate interruption
of breastfeeding135; early hospital discharge in some populations136;
lack of timely routine follow - up care and postpartum home health visits137; maternal employment138, 139 (especially in the absence
of workplace facilities and support for breastfeeding) 140;
lack of family and broad societal support141; media portrayal
of bottle feeding as normative142; commercial promotion
of infant formula through distribution
of hospital discharge packs, coupons for free or discounted formula, and some television and
general magazine advertising143, 144; misinformation; and
lack of guidance and encouragement from health care professionals.135, 145,146
The release last month
of the second annual report to Congress on the subject was closely followed by a
General Accounting Office report criticizing the Education Department for its
lack of guidance to states in determining who in their teaching corps is highly qualified.
However, a
general lack of understanding combined with perceived information governance risks means that all too often organisations, and individuals within them, are so risk averse that they are prevented from sharing appropriately by the fear
of a breach
of the Data Protection Act 1998 («DPA»), the common law duty
of confidentiality or the myriad
of NHS
guidance.
Foster youth face an additional risk because they are less likely to have experienced the protective factors
of parent monitoring and
guidance, school engagement, positive peer influences,
general stability, and
lack of trauma.