Breastfeeding Family Friendly Community Centers welcome all members of a community to gather together to share information, to offer outreach activities related to the community, and to provide social support. By creating a breastfeeding family breastfeeding family friendly environment that includes respect and sensitivity for breastfeeding family members and a facility that supports breastfeeding, you can create a healthier community for all. A breastfeeding family friendly community center has a written breastfeeding policy for members and for employees that provides information about the benefits of breastfeeding and the impact that supportive community members have on the family’s success in meeting breastfeeding goals.
Suggested steps to Adopting a Breastfeeding Policy
- Share your plans for a breastfeeding family friendly policy with your membership to seek support.
- Identify (in your organization) breastfeeding advocates and families who are currently breastfeeding or breastfed in the past to assist and support other nursing families.
- Create a breastfeeding family friendly workgroup to discuss a breastfeeding policy.
- Gather information about the benefits of breastfeeding and share with members.
- Welcome breastfeeding in public or common spaces.
- Create a private place, as space allows, for staff to express their milk and to accommodate staff and other parents who may wish to nurse their infants in private while in the facilities, while welcoming breastfeeding in the public spaces.
- Present copies of the policy/guidelines to all staff and others working with community members, especially those who have contact with visitors.
- Have a celebration to announce the new breastfeeding friendly policy/guidelines.
- Continue to provide education to members and share resources to support breastfeeding.