Be a Champion for New Mothers

Learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding and best practices for family child care or early education centers.

Most moms want to breastfeed, and you might be the only champion around. To moms with discouraging families or unsupportive employers, you can be more than just a powerful champion — you can be a hero.

Some mothers will choose not to breastfeed, or can’t, and that’s okay. Support their decision as well. For moms whose babies don’t get expressed milk, infant formula is the only safe alternative.

Family Child Care Tip:

Supporting New Mothers

Think about ways to support mothers who are breastfeeding and those who are not. You can designate a small area for mothers to breastfeed, work with mothers to create a customized feeding schedule, and provide educational materials. Discover more ideas to meet the needs of breastfeeding mothers and babies.

Find more family child care healthy resources. »

For Parents:

Healthy from the Start

This booklet offers practical tips on helping children learn healthy eating habits from the start. Meal and snack times give children opportunities to learn healthy eating habits; feel important, loved, understood and respected; trust that others will care for them; and feel good about their bodies. Includes an “Ages and Stages” chart.

Download Healthy from the Start (PDF) »

 

Professional Development:

HKHF Training Module — Support Breastfeeding

Healthy Kids, Healthy Future training modules were developed in partnership with PennState, Better Kid Care, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These learning modules provide practical strategies for implementing best practices in early childhood settings for promoting healthy habits in young children. The series includes six lessons that cover background information for childhood obesity prevention and the five best practice goals: increase physical activity, limit screen time, offer healthy beverages, serve healthy food, and support breastfeeding.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Future – Support Breastfeeding will help ECE providers understand best practices for and benefits of supporting breastfeeding mothers in ECE settings, discover strategies and ideas to create a private room for mothers to use to breastfeed or pump, and learn about resources available.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Recommendations:

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months.

Continued breastfeeding for at least 12 months.

After 12 months, breastfeeding should continue for as long as mother and baby desire.