The Pennsylvania Department of Health recognizes breastfeeding as the ideal nutrition for infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for approximately 6 months after birth. Furthermore, the AAP supports continued breastfeeding, along with appropriate complementary foods introduced at about 6 months, as long as mutually desired by mother and child for 2 years or beyond. Mother's milk is best for both babies and mothers and offers complete nutrition that cannot be reproduced in formula. Give your baby the best start possible - breastfeed! Use the links below to access statewide and county specific resources:
Additionally, the Pennsylvania Breastfeeding Referral Guide (Guide) contains county-specific individuals and organizations that can provide breastfeeding awareness, support and assistance. It includes information on lactation specialists, community programs, support/mother groups, community coalitions, breast pump rentals and local, state and national help lines. If you need more information, please call the Healthy Baby Line at 1-800-986-BABY (2229).
Breastfeeding at Work
Women with infants and children represent the fastest-growing segment of United States labor workforce. While the return to work has little effect on breastfeeding initiation, it has a significant impact on duration. Breastfeeding support in the workplace is an essential component of the goal of increasing breastfeeding duration rates in Pennsylvania.
Breastfeeding has both immediate and long-term health benefits for mother and child. Though most women initiate breastfeeding, many do not continue to breastfeed upon returning to work.
There are numerous mother, child and family benefits in continuing to provide mother’s milk after returning to work. Women who go back to work after the birth of their baby and want to continue to provide their child with their own milk face challenges such as a place to pump and store milk, privacy and lack of support.
The workplace environment should enable mothers to continue breastfeeding as long as the mother and baby desires. Breastfeeding-friendly workplace programs are relatively easy and inexpensive to implement and provide cost savings due to a reduction in health care claims and employee absenteeism.
Women can successfully combine breastfeeding and working. Select from the links below for workplace support information.
- The Business Case for Breastfeeding Materials: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Break Time for Nursing Mothers under the FLSA
Printable Resources
The Pennsylvania Breastfeeding Awareness and Support Plan calls for hospitals "to facilitate best practices and ensure that women have full support to breastfeed in an environment free from commercial influences." The Department of Health is pleased to offer hospitals free templates to print their own crib cards. The crib cards are available in both pink and blue. They are sized for 8.5-by-11 paper to make the printing as easy as possible. When folded these crib cards are the perfect size for bassinets, 4.25 inches by 5 inches. Trim along the dotted lines to the 4.25-by-5 finish size.
The cards have a front flap for HIPAA privacy and provide helpful breastfeeding information on the reverse side.
"The number of interruptions during breastfeeding sessions was significantly decreased with the use of a breastfeeding privacy sign, and the mothers who used the sign strongly agreed that their breastfeeding sessions were successful" was the conclusion of a study reported in JOGNN during Fall 2011. The authors gave permission for the Pennsylvania Department of Health to create a door hanger with our logo on it and to make the door hanger available to you. Albert J, Heinrichs-Breen J: An evaluation of a breastfeeding privacy sign to prevent interruptions and promote successful breastfeeding. JOGNN 40(3):274-280, 2011.
Pennsylvania passed the Freedom to Breastfeed Act in 2007, protecting a mother’s right to breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, where the mother and the child are otherwise authorized to be, regardless of whether the breast is covered during or incidental to the breastfeeding. Breastfeeding may not be considered a nuisance, obscenity or indecent exposure. Need more information? Contact the Breastfeeding Awareness and Support Program 1-800-986-BABY (2229).