Mothers and Their Families Committee
While 75% of mothers start out breastfeeding at birth, only 43% are breastfeeding at six months, with only 13% exclusively breastfed. There are many reasons these numbers drop so drastically, including these outlined in the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding:
The CBC’s Mothers and Their Families Committee is currently focused primarily on providing information regarding where mothers and their families can find help when it is needed to overcome breastfeeding challenges, particularly after they have left the hospital and are home with their newborn. The CBC is participating on ZipMilk.org, a website that provides state-by-state contact information for local lactation professionals, mother-to-mother peer support, WIC offices, and hospital breastfeeding mothers groups. The Committee is also working on an informational handout regarding sources of support and information, with an initial goal of sending it home with all mothers who give birth in Baby-Friendly hospitals, and then widening distribution to all Connecticut hospitals.
While 75% of mothers start out breastfeeding at birth, only 43% are breastfeeding at six months, with only 13% exclusively breastfed. There are many reasons these numbers drop so drastically, including these outlined in the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding:
- Lack of experience or understanding among family members of how best to support mothers and babies.
- Not enough opportunities to communicate with other breastfeeding mothers.
- Lack of up-to-date instruction and information from health care professionals.
- Hospital practices that make it hard to get started with successful breastfeeding.
- Lack of accommodation to breastfeed or express milk at the workplace.
The CBC’s Mothers and Their Families Committee is currently focused primarily on providing information regarding where mothers and their families can find help when it is needed to overcome breastfeeding challenges, particularly after they have left the hospital and are home with their newborn. The CBC is participating on ZipMilk.org, a website that provides state-by-state contact information for local lactation professionals, mother-to-mother peer support, WIC offices, and hospital breastfeeding mothers groups. The Committee is also working on an informational handout regarding sources of support and information, with an initial goal of sending it home with all mothers who give birth in Baby-Friendly hospitals, and then widening distribution to all Connecticut hospitals.
