In honor of National Breastfeeding Month, we’re bringing you the latest breastfeeding news, trends and research. Whether you’re curious about child and mother safety while breastfeeding or pumping milk in the workplace during the pandemic, getting breastfeeding support, or just the latest news about breastfeeding, we’ve got you covered.
Note: During COVID-19, guidelines for breastfeeding may be changing due to new studies and information. Please check with your doctor, pediatrician, or lactation consultant to make sure you’re following the current health and safety protocols.
Keep up to date on the latest breastfeeding research, news and studies
Additional considerations for breastfeeding moms
Supporting BIPOC parents in breastfeeding
According to the latest CDC data, non-Hispanic black infants with any breastfeeding at 3 months (58%) were significantly lower than non-Hispanic white infants (72.7%). Furthermore, black Americans have 2.3 times the infant mortality rate as non-Hispanic whites and are 3.8 times as likely to die from low birthweight.
Due to continued racial disparities in breastfeeding rates for BIPOC women, Black Breastfeeding Week and Native Breastfeeding Week were created to raise awareness, bring focus to specific barriers BIPOC women face when breastfeeding, and highlight black and Native experiences and traditions.
Post-partum services
Mom of three Melissa Aubrie Chan Lee talked about the importance of reaching out for help. “New moms are often surprised how much breastfeeding can hurt. Don’t be shy, see a lactation consultant early on to help make it comfortable for you and baby,” Lee told Mom.com. “Also, ask to check for tongue ties if the baby isn’t getting enough milk or if it hurts really badly.”
Some employers offer sponsored programs like Cleo, where an in-house practitioner helps guide members through telehealth and in-person support — including lactation consultants. While it is an employer sponsored program and not for individual signups, you can suggest to your employers as a future benefit.
