Advocacy

Starting in 1995, a small group of breastfeeding advocates met to discuss the need for coordination of breastfeeding activities in the U.S. After conducting an intensive needs assessment, the National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy (NABA) was formed to address needs not being met by organizations, government agencies or individuals. NABA convened the first National Breastfeeding Leadership Roundtable (NBLR) in January 1996 to determine if another organization was needed to move breastfeeding forward in this country. Working on the international model, the formation of this committee, if successful, would satisfy one of the four operational targets set forth by the 1990 Innocenti Delaration. This was to establish a multi-sectoral national breastfeeding committee composed of representatives from relevant government departments, non-governmental organizations, and health professional associations in every country.

It was agreed at that meeting of nineteen breastfeeding leaders to do four things. First, to support ongoing breastfeeding projects in the U.S. Second, to develop a strategic plan for breastfeeding in the U.S. Third, to formalize NBLR into the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC). And finally, to establish the organization of the USBC and its leadership, the NBLR continued to meet twice a year and in January 1998 voted to declare itself, with the encouragement of Assistant Surgeon General Dr. Audrey Nora, the United States Breastfeeding Committee.

The USBC is a collaborative partnership of organizations. The mission of the committee is to protect, promote and support breastfeeding in the U.S. The USBC exists to assure the rightful place of breastfeeding in society.

Florida attendees to the United States Breastfeeding Committee Conference from Florida:

For 2006: Kelly Bonyata, Dianne Veatch, Marsha Pearlman, Joan Meek.

For 2008: Mary Becker, Pat Lindsey, Joan Meek

International

Breastfeeding

Symbol

Breastfeeding education begins during the prenatal period through contacts with the pediatrician, obstetrician, physician’s office staff, lactation consultants, WIC personnel and/or Maternity Medicaid Care Coordinators.

The Florida Breastfeeding Coalition supports the Ten Steps To Successful Breastfeeding criteria and encourages all delivering hospitals to initiate as many steps as possible in their facility. The Ten Steps Process is supported by The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.

The Ten Steps To Successful Breastfeeding

1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely

communicated to staff.

2. Train all healthcare workers in the skills necessary to

implement the breastfeeding policies.

3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and

management of breastfeeding.

4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding soon after birth.

5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain

lactation even though she may be separated from her baby.

6. Give newborn infants no feed or drink other than breast milk,

unless medically indicated.

7. Practice rooming-in, allowing mothers and infants to remain

together throughout the day.

8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.

9. Give no artificial teats, dummies, or pacifiers to

breastfeeding infants.

10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups

and refer mothers on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

	Blueprint for Action on Breastfeeding
	Healthcare System

1. Train healthcare professionals who provide maternal and

childcare on the basics of lactation, breastfeeding

counseling, and lactation management during course-work,

clinical and in-service training, and continuing education.

2. Ensure that breastfeeding mothers have access to

comprehensive, up-to-date, and culturally tailored lactation

services provided by trained physicians, nurses, lactation

consultants, and nutritionists/dieticians.

3. Establish hospital and maternity center practices that

promote breastfeeding, such as the “Ten Steps to

Successful Breastfeeding.”

4. Develop breastfeeding education for women, their partners,

and other significant family members during the prenatal

and postnatal visits.

Workplace

1. Facilitate breastfeeding or breast milk expression in the

workplace by providing private rooms, commercial grade

pumps, milk storage arrangements, adequate breaks during

the day, flexible work schedules, and onsite childcare

facilities.

2. Establish family and community programs that enable

breastfeeding continuation when women return to work in all

possible settings.

3. Encourage childcare facilities to provide quality

breastfeeding support.

Family & Community

1. Develop social support and information resources for

breastfeeding women such as hotlines, peer counseling,

and mother-to-mother support groups.

2. Launch and evaluate a public health marketing campaign

portraying breastfeeding as normal, desirable, and

achievable.

3. Encourage the media to portray breastfeeding as normal,

desirable, and achievable for women of all cultures and

socioeconomic levels.

4. Encourage fathers and other family members to be actively

involved throughout the breastfeeding experience.