Honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. Ruth Lawrence

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is saddened to announce that Dr. Ruth Lawrence, a founding member of the USBC and fierce advocate for mothers and children in the field of Breastfeeding Medicine, has passed away at the age of 101. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family. 

Dr. Lawrence was a pediatrician, educator, mother of nine, and breastfeeding advocate whose groundbreaking research completely transformed the fields of Pediatrics and Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine. Lawrence’s leadership helped establish breastfeeding as a distinguished field of medical practice and research. She was the founding director of the Breastfeeding and Human Lactation Study Center, the first of its kind academic program dedicated to the study of lactation medicine and clinical care. In 1979, she published Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Profession, which became and remains the leading reference for physicians and clinicians on breastfeeding. The textbook is now in its ninth edition and has been translated into multiple languages.  

Her vision helped shape the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee and guide our movement towards creating a landscape of breastfeeding support across the United States. In 2014, the Inaugural USBC Legacy Award was established in honor of the lifelong achievements of Dr. Ruth Lawrence and Dr. Audrey Naylor. The award celebrates the achievements of those who make enduring contributions to the First Food field and is presented periodically during the National Breastfeeding Conference & Convening. We are deeply grateful for her innovation, leadership, and steadfast dedication to this field. 

Her work inspires us all to remain deeply rooted in our commitment to propelling the science and advocacy of breastfeeding, and her legacy will continue to inspire generations of breastfeeding advocates, clinicians, and researchers to come. We celebrate her life and invite you to join us in honoring her memory by sharing your own tributes and reflections on her extraordinary contributions by utilizing the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine’s Digital Memorial Wall. ABM will be sharing messages of remembrance and appreciation with Dr. Lawrence’s family.  

Read more about Dr. Lawrence’s life and distinguished career here.