top of page

Breastfeeding is a low-cost, low tech preventative health strategy. 

​

Each mother’s decision about how she feeds her baby is a personal one. Because of the ramifications of her decision on her baby’s health as well as her own, every mother in our nation deserves information, guidance, and support with this decision from her family and friends, the community where she lives, the health professionals on whom she relies, and her employer.

                                                             -Kathleen Sebelius

                                                                Secretary

                                                                  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The Facts
Bringing Breastfeeding Home Building Communities of Care
​
  • MANY MOTHERS DO NOT GET THE HELP THEY NEED TO MEET THEIR BREASTFEEDING GOALS 
  • NEARLY 93% OF CALIFORNIA MOTHERS START BREASTFEEDING, BUT 30% OF THEIR INFANTS RECEIVE FORMULA SUPPLEMENTATION DURING THE HOSPITAL STAY.
  • THE NUMBER OF BABY-FRIENDLY HOSPITALS IN CALIFORNIA CONTINUES TO INCREASE, FROM ONLY 12 IN 2006 TO 62 IN JULY 2014. WITH ALL CALIFORNIA HOSPITALS REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS DESIGNATION, OR ADOPT COMPREHENSIVE POLICIES BY 2025,10 PROMPT ACTIONS ARE NEEDED TO ENSURE ALL HOSPITALS ARE PROVIDING THE BEST CARE TO MOTHERS AND BABIES.
  • CHANGES IN HOSPITAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES HAVE MADE AN IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE FOR CALIFORNIA MOTHERS. HOWEVER, THIS EARLY SUPPORT MAY BE THE ONLY HELP THAT MOTHERS RECEIVE. BECAUSE MILK SUPPLY IS NOT ESTABLISHED DURING THE HOSPITAL STAY, BUT OVER THE FIRST FEW WEEKS, MOTHERS NEED BETTER PREPARATION AND HELP AFTER HOSPITAL DISCHARGE TO OVERCOME EARLY CHALLENGES.
  • TOO MANY CALIFORNIA MOTHERS GIVE UP ON THEIR BREASTFEEDING GOALS; NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF WOMEN PLAN TO EXCLUSIVELY BREASTFEED, BUT LESS THAN 40 PERCENT ARE DOING SO AT ONE MONTH POSTPARTUM.12 HOSPITALS, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES, AND SUPPORT GROUPS MUST WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE ALL MOTHERS HAVE THE NEEDED RESOURCES TO BREASTFEED IN THE HOSPITAL AND AT HOME. 

The 2016 Hospital Breastfeeding Rates Report and Fact Sheets are here! 

Supporting Breastfeeding In the Workplace 

bottom of page