Nourishing Thriving Communities: A National Plan

Infant nutrition security is not a theoretical concern. It is a systems-level issue at the intersection of public health, equity, and resilience. When the systems that support infant feeding are disrupted—through supply chain instability, natural disasters, public health emergencies, or gaps in access to care—the vulnerabilities that have long existed become impossible to ignore.

Recent crises have made one reality unmistakably clear: infant nutrition systems are interconnected, fragile, and deeply shaped by the policy, systems, and environmental conditions in which families live. Meeting this moment requires a clear organizing principle: human milk feeding is a cornerstone of infant nutrition security. When human milk feeding systems are weak, infant nutrition security is fragile, regardless of other safeguards.

Nourishing Thriving Communities: A National Plan for First Foods, Breastfeeding, and Lactation Support Through Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change is a field-driven national plan that advances infant nutrition security through policy, systems, and environmental change. Grounded in community leadership and informed by evidence, it provides a practical roadmap for aligning healthcare, public health, policy, workplace, and community efforts so that all families have a fair and meaningful opportunity to meet their infant feeding goals.

This plan is a shared national framework convened to align cross-sector action.

We all share the responsibility to create the policies, systems, and environments that allow families to meet their infant feeding goals. Community leaders, healthcare systems, employers, policymakers, advocates, researchers, and public health partners all have a role to play.

Vision Statement

To shape and strengthen policies, systems, and environments that advance community-wide support and ensure equitable, affirming, and culturally responsive care for breastfeeding, lactation practices, and infant nutrition security, by engaging diverse partners that honor families, foster intergenerational knowledge, and promote community self-determination.

Equitable infant nutrition security requires more than programs. it requires the policies, systems, and environments that allow families and communities to thrive.

Breastfeeding outcomes are shaped by an ecosystem, not just by individual knowledge or intention. Many disparities are shaped by structural conditions, including coverage gaps, workplace barriers, fragmented services, culturally mismatched care, and stigma. Structural approaches are necessary for scalable, durable equity.

Are you interested in having someone from the USBC's team speak about Nourishing Thriving Communities at your conference or event? Fill out the form linked below to make a request.

Speaker Request Form