Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support Internship

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support is a program at the University of Arkansas that provides a clean, private area for mother’s to nurse, pump, and change their infant’s diaper at Razorback home athletic events. The Tiny Tusks area is utilized at multiple athletic events including football games, men’s basketball games, and women’s gymnastics meets. Mothers are supplied comfortable rocking chairs, clean changing tables, heaters or fans depending on the weather, bottled water, and informational handouts about a wide array of breastfeeding topics. Along with supporting mothers, the mission of Tiny Tusks is to normalize breastfeeding in public areas and educate the community on the benefits breastfeeding provides to both mothers and newborns. The program engages the entire family unit by offering interactive activities and crafts such as coloring books, temporary razorback tattoos, and fun stickers for siblings to enjoy. The project was created by Eleanor Mann School of Nursing professors Dr. Allison Scott and Dr. Kelly Vowell Johnson and is staffed by honors nursing students and graduate students at the University of Arkansas. Along with my participation at the athletic events, I completed online modules pertaining to breastfeeding, attended multiple breastfeeding seminars, volunteered at several COVID-19 vaccination clinics, and created an educational Powtoon video as a means of completing the 120 required internship hours. Through a survey of literature, I examined the relationship between maternal breastfeeding habits and incidence of postpartum depression. Through Tiny Tusks, I gained valuable knowledge and hands-on experience with the pregnant and breastfeeding population