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BREASTFEEDING
RESOURCES FOR CONNECTICUT FAMILIES
Spanish
Version
The decision to breastfeed your
infant is one of the first decisions you will
make as a parent of a newborn. Breastfeeding
provides the best possible nutrition for your
infant and allows you special uninterrupted time
to bond with one another. Breastfeeding can be
easy; it is just a skill that mom and baby have
to learn. Breastfeeding specialists and
consultants can help mothers who have questions
or difficulties with breastfeeding.
TALK TO YOUR HEALTH
PROFESSIONAL
Your obstetrician,
pediatrician, family practitioner or other
physician should be knowledgeable and supportive
of breastfeeding. Nutritionists, neonatal
nurses, midwives, childbirth instructors, and
home visiting nurses should also be
knowledgeable.
Always consult your doctor or
pediatrician if you are experiencing problems
with breast feeding or if you have concerns
about your baby's health and nutrition. Other
resources for support are the following:
LA LECHE
LEAGUE
Accredited volunteers
at La Leche League offer breast feeding
information and support via telephone and group
meetings. Also, League members speak to
interested community groups about breastfeeding.
INTERNATIONAL
LACTATION CONSULTANTS ASSOCIATION
The ILCA is the professional association for
International Board Certified Lactation
Consultants (IBCLCs) and other health care
professionals who care for breastfeeding
families. The ILCA website allows zip code
searches for Board Certified Lactation
Consultants.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LA LECHE
LEAGUE VOLUNTEERS AND LACTATION CONSULTANTS:
La Leche League:
"Mother to mother"
breastfeeding support from lay (not medical
professional) breastfeeding counselors. Help can
be given over the phone and there is no fee. It
is not professional medical advice, rather it is
"mother to mother" support and guidance.
Lactation Consultants:
Professionally trained clinicians who have
clinical and classroom training and have passed
a Board certification exam. These professionals
are certified by the International Lactation
Consultants Assn. and they have the initials
IBCLC after their names. (IBCLC stands for
International Board Certified Lactation
Consultant.) IBCLCs see people in person, and
charge for their services. Some insurance
companies cover this, but many don't. Any
one who does not have insurance coverage and who
cannot pay the fee should consult with their
physician or the hospital birthing department
where they delivered.
BREASTFEEDING
HELPLINE AT THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S HEALTH
INFORMATION CENTER
The National
Women's Health Information Center has a
Breastfeeding Helpline: 1-800-994-9662. (TTY:
1-888-220-5446). Breastfeeding Peer Counselors
at the Helpline can answer common breastfeeding
questions on issues ranging from nursing
positions to pumping and storage; and provides
support to make breastfeeding a success. The
Helpline is open to nursing mothers as well as
their partners, families, prospective parents,
health professionals and institutions seeking to
better educate new mothers about the benefits of
breastfeeding. The Helpline is an information
and referral service only and cannot provide
medical diagnosis or answer medical questions.
CONNECTICUT
BREASTFEEDING COALITION
CBC advocates for
access to comprehensive, current, and culturally
appropriate lactation care and service for all
women, children and families in Connecticut. The
Coalition works to ensure that breastfeeding is
recognized as the normal and preferred method of
feeding infants and young children, to ensure
that all federal, state and local laws recognize
and support the importance and practice of
breastfeeding, and to increase protection,
promotion and support for breastfeeding mothers
in the workforce. The Coalition meets monthly at
different locations in Connecticut.
LAW SUPPORTS BREASTFEEDING/
PUMPING IN THE WORKPLACE (Public Act No.
01-182)
- Any employee may express breast
milk or breast feed at work during her meal or
break period.
- An employer shall make
reasonable efforts to provide a room or other
location other than a toilet stall where the
employee can express her milk in private.
- An employer shall not
discriminate against, discipline, or take any
adverse employment action against an employee
because she has elected to exercise her rights
under this law.
Connecticut Breastfeeding
Coalition's brochure "Breastfeeding in
Connecticut: What Are Your Rights:"
For more
information or to seek protection under this
law, call CWEALF
(Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund)
or CHRO
(Commission on Human Rights and
Responsibilities.)
OTHER BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT:
Community health centers, home health
agencies, and hospitals also offer breastfeeding
support groups or classes. The Women, Infants
and Children Program (WIC) provides education
and support to income eligible women who
participate in the program.
TO FIND PROVIDERS IN
CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:
Search by service name: Breastfeeding
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SOURCES: Above referenced
websites; Connecticut Department of Public
Health
PREPARED BY: 211/lb
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: January2012
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