Support Within
the Health Care System

Excerpt from HHS Blueprint for Action on Breastfeeding

A Blueprint for Action Within the Health Care System

• Train health care professionals who provide maternal and child care on the basics of lactation, breastfeeding counseling and lactation management during internship, residency, in-service training, and continuing education.
• Assure that breastfeeding mothers have access to comprehensive, up-to-date, and culturally tailored lactation services provided by trained physicians, nurses, nutritionists, and lactation consultants.
• Establish hospital and maternity center practices that promote breastfeeding such as the "Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding."
• Develop breastfeeding education for women, their partners and other significant family members during the prenatal and postnatal visits.