Projects

Business Case for Breastfeeding    
The Business Case for Breastfeeding, a project funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a comprehensive resource kit designed for to help implement lactation support programs and services for breastfeeding employees.

Michigan Breastfeeding Walk in August
Put on your walking shoes, gather your families, friends, and co-workers, and celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Month in Michigan!

Good luck with your plans to show Michigan walks for breastfeeding!

Annual Awards

The Michigan Breastfeeding Network presents annual breastfeeding awards to individuals and organizations that have contributed to the promotion, protection, and support of breastfeeding. Complete the application online to make your nomination. Applications are due by June 1, 2011.

2008 Award Recipients
  • Health Care:  Diane Kovalik, RN and St. Joseph Mercy Hospital
  • Business: The Dow Chemical Company
  • Community:  Mary Dubensky, RNC, BSN, IBCLC
  • Public Health:  Anna Hon, Maternal and Child Health Nurse, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe

Breastfeeding Legislation
Grassroots efforts have begun to promote new breastfeeding legislation in Michigan. Currently, any public or private establishment can ask a mother that is breastfeeding to leave the premises.

The Legislative Committee currently is circulating a petition of support for this proposed legislation. It says: "We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge our leaders to act now to support the following: A mother may breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be present."

The BFN Legislative Committee plans to find supporters in the State Senate to introduce and co-sponsor a bill in the fall. If you'd like to work with this committee or personally know your state senator, contact Georgia Therrien, Legislative Committee Chair at georgia.therrien@medela.com

We have set up a blog http://breastfeedingrightsmi.blogspot.com/  for mothers to share their experiences of discrimination while breastfeeding in public and stories concerning jury duty expectations.  Stories are needed to show legislators that this is an issue that should be addressed.  Please share this site with families, support groups, and maternal and infant health organizations in Michigan.

Legislative Efforts to Promote and Protect A Woman's Right to Breastfeed Public

You or someone you know may have been in the unfortunate situation of being told that you cannot breastfeed in a public place.  No woman should be subjected to the embarrassment of being asked to leave or to retreat to a restroom. Forty-three states have a law protecting the rights of a women to breastfeeding in a public place, regrettably Michigan is not one of them. We are fortunate to have a champion in Rep Warren (D) Ann Arbor who feels that it is your Civil Right to breastfeed your child in any location, public or private, where you are authorized to be present.


Also, Congress goes on recess for almost the entire month of August. This would be an excellent time to meet with your local legislator to let him/her know how important this issue is to you. If you have not had an opportunity to sign our online petition please take the opportunity to do so.


10 P's for Practice

Best Practice Guidelines for Supporting Breastfeeding in the NICU

Breastfeeding of premature or sick babies offers unique challenges.  This document and poster identifies ten practices to support breastfeeding in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
  • 10 P's for Practice Handout
  • 10 P's for Practice Poster
  • Best Practice Guidelines with Citations
The 10 P's for Practice document is available at the 10 P's link and all three documents may be downloaded as .pdfs.


Healthy Michigan Poster

Create A Healthier Michigan poster, which features photos of Michigan families and identifies the risks of formula feeding is available for $2.00 plus shipping.  Contact Julie Lothamer, julie@lothamer.net
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Keleigh Lee,
Jun 10, 2009 6:57 AM

Check out the Grand Rapids
stop of Milk for Thought's