Breastfeeding Advocacy: What you can do

Too many women struggle with roadblocks to breastfeeding success. These obstacles can be addressed with legislation, policy, regulations, by writing to insurance companies and hospitals, and by working directly with employers and hospitals.

Let your voice be heard! It is very important that our elected officials, state health departments, hospital executives, employers, and insurers hear the public ask for better breastfeeding support.

Join our mailing list to participate in planning and advocacy efforts. Our goal is to pass at least one breastfeeding-related law in 2008.

Visit our online store to purchase bumper stickers and tote bags with our slogan, "Public Health Begins with Breastfeeding." Proceeds support the Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition.

Massachusetts law gives you the right to breastfeed in most public places. If anyone gives you trouble, you can use our new License to Breastfeed to set them straight. Copies of the license are available for free download or for purchase.

• Support nursing mother in the workplace
  One third of new mothers return to work by 3 months post-partum. We need legislation and employee policies ensuring women have time and space to express milk during the work day. Talking points.
• Advocate for improved maternity leave
  Paid maternity leave allows mothers to stay home longer, helping to foster breastfeeding and establish a good milk supply.
• Support public health funding
  The state needs funding for public health efforts to increase breastfeeding rates, including efforts to make all maternity hospitals Baby Friendly.
  
  Use our 1-page handout to make the case to your hospital.
Make your voice heard!

Find your state and federal representatives, through the Massachusetts Elections Guide

Tips for contacting elected officials.

Talking points on some current hot breastfeeding topics - we can give you some ideas of what to say.

Be effective:

Learn what language works best for breastfeeding advocacy, whether writing letters or talking to peers and colleagues. See our essay, Making the Case: Effective Language for Breastfeeding Advocacy.

Current Massachusetts legislation:

Massachusetts currently has no breastfeeding legislation, despite repeated efforts by some legislators. Learn about current bills filed.

Massachusetts Medical Society's breastfeeding resolution:

Use MMS's resolution to help make the case for breastfeeding.

View HTML, or printer-friendly version.

Other links:

MomsRising - a great advocacy resource for many topics involving mothers and children

Breastfeeding.com - a breastfeeding advocacy site

National Conference of State Legislatures: - summarizes current state breastfeeding legislation with link to the text of each bill

The CDC’s worksite lactation initiative

More info on why worksite lactation is a win-win solution at our website

National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy (NABA) - looks in depth at what and how to advocate for breastfeeding.

View some statistics about health impact on our webpage: