Community-based strategies are an effective way to promote and provide support for breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO) coordinated the development of the newly published Journal of Human Lactation (JHL) Special Issue<http://jhl.sagepub.com/content/31/4?etoc> on community-based support for breastfeeding. The Issue provides examples and evidence for community-based support strategies, which include breastfeeding-friendly maternity care practices in clinics, peer support programs, breastfeeding education and professional support for health care professionals, support for breastfeeding in the workplace, and access to breastfeeding information for new mothers. DNPAO also released a set of program based highlights<http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/state-local-programs/pdf/bf-highlights.pdf> that offer high-level summaries of topics addressed in the JHL Issue.

What can be done to improve community-based support for breastfeeding?

The Federal government is:

·         Supporting state health departments to help communities improve breastfeeding support.

·         Supporting local health departments and community-based public, private, non-profit, and/or faith-based organizations to provide services to breastfeeding mothers and their infants in predominantly African American communities.

·         Creating peer learning communities among grantees and partners to enhance breastfeeding support and capacity in communities.

CDC grantees and partners can:

·         Partner and communicate with each other to leverage resources and find common linkages.

·         Present program examples, lessons learned, and practice-based strategies via webinars, stories from the field, or published manuscripts.

·         Establish linkages between maternity care programs and community-based programs to promote post-discharge support.

·         Convene with breastfeeding professionals such as WIC peer counselors, IBCLCs, and CLCs in the community.

·         Collaborate with existing breastfeeding support groups and health clinics in the community.

Breastfeeding Community-Based Practitioners can:

·         Coordinate with state and local health departments and breastfeeding coalitions to implement community-based programs that support breastfeeding duration and exclusivity.

·         Connect with existing breastfeeding support in the community, such as Baby Cafés®, La Leche League, and other breastfeeding support groups.

·         Work with community based clinics and provider offices, to help them implement breastfeeding friendly practices in their facilities.

·         Provide mentoring opportunities for individuals working towards becoming IBCLCs; or for CLCs and peer counselors wanting to improve their skills.

·         Provide training and continuing education opportunities for lactation consultants, lactation counselors/educators, and peer counselors.

·         Work with hospitals and community breastfeeding support sites (WIC clinics, community support groups, etc.) to set up referral systems for women to get breastfeeding support upon hospital discharge.

Sahra A. Kahin, MA, MPH
Program Development and Evaluation Fellow
Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
4770 Buford Hwy, NE
MS F-77
Atlanta, GA 30341
Phone: 770-488-4624