Neonatology News January 2025

Increasing Breast Milk Feeding at NICU Discharge

Neonatologist Justyna Grothaus, MD, leads efforts to boost breast milk feeding in the NICU, as part of Children's Hospital Neonatal Consortium Project HOME (Home On Milk Every time). She is on the management group for this initiative involving over 30 NICUs and spearheads the work at Lurie Children’s with lead nurse Pat Jensen.

The team at Lurie Children’s has developed a pamphlet for the transport team and the fetal center to distribute to families expecting a baby to go to the NICU. The pamphlet highlights the benefits of breast milk, pumping, and how to obtain a pump covered by health insurance. The team also has launched a program to distribute double electric breast pumps to lactating parents.

In addition, Lurie Children’s NICU continues work to improve skin-to-skin care and oral feeding at the breast, as both are lactation milestones.

Community Initiatives to Reduce Perinatal Health Disparities

Neonatologist Tonia Branche, MD, MPH, partners with the Patrick M. Magoon Institute for Healthy Communities at Lurie Children’s to support families living on the West Side of Chicago who are at the highest risk of adverse perinatal outcomes. Families in these neighborhoods face heightened health disparities, including maternal and infant mortality and preterm births.

As the Director of the new High-Risk Perinatal Workgroup within West Side Healthy Parents and Babies initiative of the Magoon Institute, Dr. Branche fosters collaboration between NICUs across the city, ensuring families receive the care and resources they need, including peer-to-peer group sessions.

Dr. Branche also is working with the Magoon Institute to launch Supporting Parents' Early Action for Kids (SPEAK-Up), an innovative program that will provide caregiver education on child development and the Early Intervention (EI) system. Support groups will be designed to increase knowledge, empower advocacy, and strengthen peer networks. SPEAK-Up is set to become the first program in Illinois to integrate both didactic lessons and peer support as a waitlist intervention for EI services.