Breastfeeding Promotion and Support

This website provides information, resources and support for breastfeeding. Each link below details information and examples of things you can do to support breastfeeding.

• Healthcare Providers:
  Supportive practices in birthing facilities
  • 6 for ME: Maine takes six steps to improve breastfeeding:
    Supports implementing breastfeeding best practices
  • Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative:
    Encourages and recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for breastfeeding.
    Maine has a number of hospitals that have been designated as Baby Friendly.
• Workplaces:
  Ensure workplace compliance and promote acceptance of breastfeeding laws
• Families
  Resources for Mothers and families
• Early Childcare Education Centers:
  Welcome breastfed babies and create a breastfeeding friendly child care center.

Breastfeeding and Chronic Disease

According to the U.S. CDC, breastmilk is the best food for growth and development of infants. Breastfeeding is an effective approach to reducing lifelong risk for chronic disease. It helps protect babies against:

• Asthma
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity.¹

Breastfeeding also lowers a mother's risk of:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Certain types of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.¹

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies be fed only breastmilk for the first six months and continue to breastfeed for a year as long as it is mutually desired by the mother and baby.

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Strategies to Prevent Obesity and other Chronic Diseases: The CDC Guide to Strategies to Support Breastfeeding Mothers and Babies. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2013, page 3. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/BF-Guide-508.PDF Accessed 12.11.15