Constellation Steward: U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (Camille Abbe)

The first of the USBC-affiliated Constellations, this group was first convened in June 2014 for an in-person meeting, with funding support from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. At this meeting, the participants agreed on the Declaration of Intent and Priority Strategies listed below, which ground and guide the group to this day.

Constellation Declaration of Intent

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"Whereas all people wanting to feed their babies human milk have a right to access
trained lactation support to reach their goals;
Whereas all lactation support providers bring value to the landscape of care;
Therefore we agree to work collaboratively to influence opportunities for change
to increase access to lactation support."

Resources, Letters, and Comments

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• Lactation Support Providers Descriptor Table
  • Lactation Support Providers Descriptor Video
• Lactation Support Providers Pathways Information
• Lactation Support Providers Training Directory
• Payer Policy Guidance: Innovative Approaches to Coverage Of Breastfeeding Support, Equipment, and Supplies

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• Letter to TRICARE expressing concerns about lactation provider classes in the TRICARE Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration (December, 2021)
• Comments responding to the 2021 Breastfeeding Support and Supplies Draft Clinical Recommendations from the Women's Preventive Services Institute (September, 2021)

Constellation Priority Strategies

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• ​​Advancing Equity by Decolonizing the First Foods Landscape & Centering on the Needs of Families.
• Enrich the LSP Constellation’s participation, procedures and collaborative approach.
• Develop innovative solutions and tools to achieve equity in breastfeeding and breastfeeding support.
• Advocate for lactation support providers and breastfeeding families through targeted communication and participation in policy-making.
• Improve and expand the lactation support provider field through equitable routes of training and payment for services.
• Increase equitable access for breastfeeding families through engagement, access, and empowerment.

Constellation Participants

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• Academy of Lactation Policy & Practice
• Breastfeeding USA
• Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute
• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
• Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals Association
• HealthConnect One
• Healthy Children Project
• Indigenous Lactation Counselors

• International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners
• La Leche League USA​
• Lactation Education Resources
• Global Military Lactation Community
• National Association of County & City Health Officials
• National WIC Association
• Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere
• United States Lactation Consultant Association