Larelle H. Bookhart, PhD, MPH, RD, IBCLC

Larelle Bookhart is a Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health Postdoctoral Fellow.  Her areas of interest include nutritional risk factors (from pregnancy through early childhood) for adverse health outcomes and health care system factors that may reduce health disparities.  She worked as a county level director of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in Halifax County, NC where she led and managed the program, while also providing direct nutrition and breastfeeding services and counseling.

Her doctoral research at Emory University in Nutrition and Health Sciences focused on the determinants of early infant feeding practices in hospitals.  She has conducted research at the national and local level, including both qualitative and quantitative analyses to understand how health care system policies and practices may modify breastfeeding outcomes, particularly among historically marginalized populations.  Her future research will build upon her previous research on early infant feeding practices and health care system support, while also expanding to work with initiatives to improve maternal health outcomes.

1. Bookhart, LH; Joyner, A; Lee, Kelly; Worrell,N.; Jamieson, DJ.; Young, MF. (2021). Moving beyond breastfeeding initiation: A qualitative study unpacking factors that influence infant feeding at hospital discharge among socioeconomically disadvantaged women. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
2. Bookhart, LH; Anstey, EH; Perrine, CG; Reis-Reilly, H; Ramakrishnan, U; Young, MF; (2021).  A nation-wide study on the reasons for infant formula supplementation among healthy, term, breastfed infants in US hospitals. Maternal and Child Nutrition.

1. Bookhart, LH; Anstey, EH; Ramakrishnan, U; Young, MF. May 2022. A nation-wide study on the common reasons for infant formula supplementation among healthy, term, breastfed infants in US hospitals. Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs. National virtual poster presentation.
2. Bookhart, LH; Anstey, EH; Kramer, M; Perrine, CG; Ramakrishnan, U; Young, MF. Oct. 2021. Association of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding with In-Hospital Exclusive Breastfeeding in the US. American Public Health Association. National virtual poster presentation.
3. Bookhart, LH, Young, MF. June 2021. Maternity Care Practices and Policies and the Association with Early Breastfeeding Outcomes.  Oral presentation for the National Association of County and City Health Officials. National virtual office hour. 
4. Bookhart, LH; Joyner, A; Lee, Kelly; Worrell, N; Jamieson, DJ; Young, MF. Oct. 2020. Unpacking barriers and facilitators for supporting women to exclusively breastfeed at hospital discharge. American Public Health Association. National virtual oral presentation.
5. Bookhart, LH; Young, MF. Aug. 2020. Unpacking barriers and facilitators to exclusively breastfeed at hospital discharge.  National Association of County and City Health Officials. National virtual webinar.