National Breastfeeding Month 2019 - "Support Changes Everything."

Support Changes Everything:
Working to Promote, Protect, and Support Breastfeeding

August is National Breastfeeding Month. For nearly all infants, breastfeeding is the best first source of infant nutrition. Breastfeeding also provides health benefits to both the baby and the mother. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies should be exclusively breastfed for about the first 6 months, with continued breastfeeding through at least the first year of life and longer as desired by the mother and child.

This year’s theme, Support Changes Everything, highlights the many ways that healthcare providers, employers, communities, and organizations can support women who choose to breastfeed. CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity is committed to increasing breastfeeding rates throughout the United States and to promoting and supporting optimal breastfeeding practices toward the ultimate goal of improving the nation’s health. National Breastfeeding Month focuses on a different breastfeeding topic each week:

Week 1: Empowered Parents & Partners Week 2: Investing in our Future Week 3: Workplace & Work life (or school life) Week 4: Black Breastfeeding Week.  New Breastfeeding Data from the National Immunization Survey CDC uses data from the National Immunization Survey (NIS) to measure whether we are meeting the nation’s breastfeeding targets, as outlined in Health People 2020 (HP2020). Results from the NIS are available online. How to connect and participate: We encourage you to promote breastfeeding with your various audiences during this month. You can share these social media messages: Help your child get a healthy start in life. Check out this collection of helpful resources focused on maternal, infant, and toddler health. https://bit.ly/327x5zs #NBM19 Breastfeeding is a learning process for mom and baby. Know what to expect during the first days and weeks of breastfeeding. https://bit.ly/2xSH28A #NBM19 Follow us on Twitter (@CDCObesity and @CDCMakeHealthEZ), retweet our posts, and use this year’s hashtags in your own social media: #NBM19 and #SupportChangesEverything.  “Like” us on Facebook and share our posts. For more information about how DNPAO is working to promote, protect and support breastfeeding, please visit: CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity: Breastfeeding Breastfeeding Report Cards DNPAO’s Data Trends and Maps Database Healthy People 2020: Maternal, Infant, and Child Health Objectives