In 1984, the Office of the Surgeon General held the first workshop on breastfeeding and human lactation that resulted in the following recommendations:

• strengthen the support of breastfeeding in the health care system
• improve professional education in human lactation and breastfeeding
• develop public education and promotional efforts
• develop a broad range of support services in the community
• initiate a national breastfeeding promotion effort directed to women in the workforce and expand research on human lactation and breastfeeding.

In 1985 and 1991, follow-up reports from the Surgeon General's workshop were developed to describe the various breastfeeding promotion activities emanating from the workshop. For more information, see the following documents:

• Report of the Surgeon General's workshop on breastfeeding and human lactation (1984)
• Follow up report: the Surgeon General's workshop on breastfeeding & human lactation (1985)
• Second follow up report: the Surgeon General's workshop on breastfeeding & human lactation (1991)