Breastfeeding promotion programs
Local governments can invest in this strategy using State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
- This strategy can help address the social determinants of health. The U.S. Department of Treasury has indicated that strategies that help achieve this outcome are eligible for the use of Fiscal Recovery Funds.
- Investments in this strategy are SLFRF-eligible as long as they are made in qualified census tracts or are designed to assist populations or communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Program overview
Promoting breastfeeding for healthier infants and mothers: Breastfeeding promotion programs include a broad set of strategies to encourage and support mothers in breastfeeding their infants. Such programs aim to increase the number of women who breastfeed, the length of time they sustain breastfeeding, and the number of women who exclusively breastfeed their infants.
Ensuring access to breastfeeding education: Breastfeeding promotion programs typically incorporate strategies to increase mothers’ access to breastfeeding education and information. Breastfeeding education generally takes place during pregnancy and is delivered in a healthcare or community setting by a professional with training in lactation management.
Creating supportive healthcare environments: Both maternity care practices and the behavior of healthcare providers can influence mothers’ decisions to breastfeed and newborns’ feeding behavior. As such, hospitals and birthing centers play a key role in comprehensive breastfeeding promotion programs. A common step taken by hospitals and birthing centers to support breastfeeding is providing professional education to their healthcare providers (e.g., information on the importance of breastfeeding, the physiology and management of lactation).
Offering a support system: Public health agencies, healthcare systems, or other stakeholders may provide mothers access to professional advice on breastfeeding during pregnancy and after giving birth. Breastfeeding counseling may be delivered in-person, online, or over the phone, and helps mothers learn breastfeeding techniques, address concerns about returning to work or school, and more. Peer support programs, which are typically run by community members who are currently or have previously breastfed, may also be used to provide breastfeeding education, emotional support, and encouragement.
Supporting breastfeeding in child care and workplace settings: Both early childhood care and education programs (ECE) and employers can promote breastfeeding by establishing a clear breastfeeding policy and allowing and providing private space to breastfeed on-site. ECE programs can further support breastfeeding mothers by creating procedures to store breast milk and feed breastfed infants. Public health and other government agencies may institute regulations on breastfeeding support at workplaces and ECE sites.
- Cost per Participant
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Not available
Multiple studies with rigorous designs demonstrate that breastfeeding promotion programs are a well-supported strategy for advancing maternal and infant health.
- A 2018 research synthesis showed that breastfeeding promotion programs increased rates of breastfeeding and improved the health of both mothers and infants.
Identify needs in your community: Local leaders implementing a breastfeeding promotion program should conduct a needs assessment to better understand breastfeeding in their community. The analysis should include data on breastfeeding rates (see the CDC’s Breastfeeding Initiation data), an assessment of the availability of breastfeeding counseling services and lactation support providers, an assessment of social norms and structural barriers to breastfeeding, and more. Special attention should be paid to inequities in breastfeeding between social groups in a community.
Develop a coalition: Breastfeeding promotion programs are often led by public health agencies or healthcare systems. As a comprehensive promotion program aims to increase support for breastfeeding across a community, including local employers, early childhood programs, social service agencies, and other community groups can build buy-in among key stakeholders.
Promote continuity of care: Mothers typically encounter multiple healthcare and social service providers over the course of their pregnancy and following birth. Breastfeeding promotion programs should support providers in establishing greater continuity of care during transitions from one provider or setting to another. For example, co-creating educational materials on breastfeeding with area healthcare and lactation support providers can ensure greater consistency in messaging on breastfeeding best practices.
Promote a supportive environment: Breastfeeding promotion programs should proactively identify steps to support breastfeeding in a wide range of settings where families spend their time (e.g., schools, houses of worship, retail spaces, parks and recreation spaces). Establishing supportive policies - such as allowing flexible work schedules or designating lactation rooms - across a community reduces friction points for initiating and continuing to breastfeed.