Entry Points Communities Are Using to Move Forward
Across communities working toward a Breastfeeding Family Friendly designation, progress isn’t coming from doing everything at once. It’s coming from choosing clear entry points, aligning the right partners, and building systems that reflect how families actually experience care.
At our last board meeting—and again during our BFFC Implementation Leaders Collaborative Round Table—a consistent pattern emerged: communities that are moving forward are not waiting for perfect conditions. They are making strategic choices about where to start—and building from there.
Below are two entry-point strategies we’re seeing work right now, along with concrete ways your community can begin applying them.
Strategy 1: Use emergency preparedness to bring new partners to the table
What’s working
Several communities are reframing infant feeding support as part of emergency readiness, not a standalone public health issue. This shift is opening doors to collaboration with emergency management, preparedness staff, and partners who may not typically engage in breastfeeding initiatives.
Rather than starting with technical guidance, communities are beginning with shared goals: keeping babies safe, supporting caregivers during crises, and reducing risk when systems are strained.
Why it works
- Emergency preparedness is already a priority for many agencies
- It creates urgency without requiring consensus on every detail
- It brings cross-sector partners into the same room early
How to try this in your community
- Invite emergency management staff to an existing coalition or task force meeting
- Use language like “safe infant feeding” and “protecting babies during emergencies”
- Pilot a short scenario discussion or tabletop exercise instead of a formal training
Action step (30 days):
Identify one emergency-related meeting or planning process where infant feeding has not yet been discussed—and request time on the agenda.
Strategy 2: Move from big ideas to follow-through
What’s working
During the BFFC Implementation Leaders Round Table, communities consistently named follow-through—not ideas—as their biggest challenge. Several practical solutions surfaced:
Explicit ownership matters
Projects move more reliably when one person is clearly named as the lead—even within collaborative teams.
Write it down and send it out
Meetings are more effective when notes clearly capture:
- Who agreed to do what
- By when
- How progress will be revisited
Follow-up emails that list “homework” help turn discussion into action.
Separate ideation from implementation
Collaboration works well for generating ideas, but implementation often benefits from more structure and fewer decision-makers.
How to try this
- End meetings with a short action recap
- Assign ownership to every task
- Use simple due dates to maintain momentum
Action step (next meeting):
Send a follow-up email listing agreed-upon actions, responsible parties, and timelines.
What these strategies have in common
Communities making progress are not trying to “do the Ten Steps all at once.” They are:
- Choosing one clear entry point
- Aligning partners around shared priorities
- Building momentum through visible, achievable actions
Progress is coming from focus, not perfection.
Where to start
If your community is early in the process, choose one of the strategies above and commit to testing it. Momentum builds when action feels achievable—and when early wins are visible.
Strengthening breastfeeding-friendly systems doesn’t require having everything figured out. It requires starting where you are, using what you already have, and building deliberately toward what families need.