Missed Opportunities to Support Breastfeeding

We are missing many opportunities to support breastfeeding in the United States. In the healthcare system, broken communication, competing priorities, and low confidence in support skills create roadblocks for lactation support throughout the breastfeeding journey. As a consequence of these missed opportunities, 60% of mothers stop breastfeeding before they planned, and only a quarter of babies are exclusively breastfed at six months old despite high breastfeeding initiation rates. Our system is failing breastfeeding families. Supporting families every step of the way requires frequent & consistent education, counseling, problem solving, and communication among all providers.