Protect Breastfeeding - A Shared Responsibility

By Mom2Mom Global/Breastfeeding in Combat Boots

Mom2Mom Jacksonville, 2018

As we enter into World Breastfeeding Week, Mom2Mom Global/Breastfeeding in Combat Boots would like to take a moment to reflect on the significance of its theme: Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility.

At its core, our organization understands that breast/chestfeeding outcomes are significantly improved by having supportive networks that reinforce evidence-based best practices. From its inception, Mom2Mom Global/Breastfeeding in Combat Boots has built a lactation support model centered on peer mentorship. As our organization has grown, we have actively pursued opportunities to expand that network of support, increase access to the most current lactation information, and partner with other organizations to amplify our ability to advance positive changes for breastfeeding military families.

This past year, Mom2Mom Global/Breastfeeding in Combat Boots launched the Military Lactation Counselor® (MiLC®) program to provide an affordable certification pathway that provides lactation supporters a unique perspective that not only addresses issues specific to military populations, but also presents lactation support methods through an equity lens. Our organization is committed to sharing the responsibility of dismantling the overarching systemic inequities that exist in prenatal/postpartum care. 

We recognize the importance of cultivating partnerships and mobilizing efforts to change legislation and policy to shape a more supportive breastfeeding culture in the U.S. Our advocacy team partners with nonprofits in the lactation and parental-child health landscape, Department of Defense committees, and legislators to provide evidence-based, equity-centered recommendations to legislative and policy channels through sign-on letters and education packages.

Today, we are excited to launch a revitalized website that has been designed to make it easier to connect military families to the information they need to optimize their breast/chestfeeding journeys. Through the generous sponsorship of Military Mommies/Forces DME, we have had the privilege to work with LightPress to create an engaging and user-friendly website that we hope will inspire military families to make informed decisions about how they feed their infants and children, connect with other families locally or online, and contribute to reshaping breastfeeding culture within our military communities.

Please join us throughout the month on Facebook and Instagram as we explore breastfeeding issues as they relate to various populations and our shared responsibility in creating equitable support systems for all families.