Communities grow stronger when they take time to reflect on what they are building together. Community Self-Appraisals offered through the Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities initiative are designed to support that reflection. They give communities a place to pause, look honestly at their current efforts, and recognize both progress and possibility as they work to better support breastfeeding.
The Ten Steps to a Breastfeeding Family Friendly Community guides this work. Rather than serving as a checklist, the steps help communities understand how policies, practices, relationships, and systems come together to shape families’ experiences. Self-appraisals are not about being “finished.” They are about learning, celebrating what is already happening, and identifying where support and growth are most needed.