World Breastfeeding Week

One of the major reasons that women do not breastfeed, is lack of support. Women often lack adequate support from their partners, family members, health care providers, employers, government, and communities. By doing what you can to support a breastfeeding mother, you may be helping to protect the life and long term health of her child.

Here are some ways to support breastfeeding mothers in your community:

1. Contact your state representatives about enacting or strengthening breastfeeding protection laws in your state. Many women fear breastfeeding outside their homes or have difficulty pumping breastmilk upon returning to work. Laws are needed to protect breastfeeding mother’s rights to breastfeed in public, pump breastmilk when working, and to be exempt from jury duty when caring for a breastfeeding infant. Many states do not have laws protecting breastfeeding women and others have laws that need to be expanded. Find out about the laws and pending laws in your state and then drop a quick note to your representative requesting the needed changes.

2. Make your workplace breastfeeding friendly. You can implement a policy supporting breastfeeding in your establishment, educate your employees or co-workers about the appropriateness of breastfeeding and alert them to laws protecting breastfeeding mothers, provide an appropriate place and time for employees to pump breastmilk, and provide longer paid maternity leave to allow new mothers to establish the breastfeeding relationship prior to returning to work. Accommodating breastfeeding workers often pays off in the long run with lower health care costs, fewer sick days, and greater worker retention.

3. Give baby shower gifts that support breastfeeding. While breastmilk is free and much more cost effective than other alternatives, most mothers incur some expense when starting breastfeeding. Nursing bras, breastpads, and, for those who will need to be away from their infants, a quality breastpump, are a few items that the new mom will need to invest in. For those who are having difficultly getting started, a lactation consultant can help. As with all new skills, its easier to get started when there are not other distractions so offer to bring mom a healthy meal or hire a cleaning service.

4. Create a climate in your community that is positive towards breastfeeding. Stares and nasty comments can be intimidating to a breastfeeding mother. The next time you see a woman breastfeeding her baby, look her in the eyes and smile. Make a positive comment if you feel comfortable. Feel free to ask the women if there is any thing you can do to make her more comfortable remembering that the best setting for breastfeeding is whatever makes the mother feel comfortable.

By being sensitive to the needs of breastfeeding mothers, you can contribute to the long term health women and children.

About the Author:

Indie Davis is a proud mother and an advocate of breastfeeding and homebirthing. She wrote this article to commemorate World Breastfeeding Week. You can read more of her writings on her blog, The World is Too Much With Us.