Babies are Born to Breastfeed


OUR PROJECTS

Business Case for Breastfeeding

Our three pronged program for the Business Case for Breastfeeding includes:

1. Maintaining a Statewide Business Case for Breastfeeding Leadership Team. This team is a public/private partnership made up of selected members of the NYS Breastfeeding Coaltion Board of Directors; representatives from the NYSDOH OPP , HHC, WIC and CACFP; Regional Perinatal Assocations and the Healthy Start grantees. The Leadership team is charged with:

• Developing and maintaining expertise in the Business Case for Breastfeeding by participating in the 2-day Train the Trainer program and participating in a bi-monthly national conference call

• Maintaining an up to date statewide BCBF strategic plan

• Providing technical assistance to those working with businesses to establish lactation programs

• Making mini-grant awards to businesses setting up lactation programs

• Assisting with setting up 1-day Business Case for Breastfeeding trainings in their geographic area

2. In 2009 three (3) 1-day training programs on the Business Case for Breastfeeding were provided in New York City and Long Island. This is in addition to the five 1-day trainings provided by the NYS Department of Health in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Glens Falls and Fishkill. The NYS Breastfeeding Coalition and the NYSDOH have established a goal of providing a 1-day BCBF training in all geographic areas of NYS. The work in 2009 went a long way towards achiving this goal.

3. Mini-grants have been provided to several to businesses to assist them with establishing a worksite lactation program. Awards of $500 per business have been provided to help create lactation rooms at worksites.

MINI-GRANT AWARDS

NYSBC awared mini-grants to 5 organizations to help with the establishment of worksite lactation programs:

  • Columbia Memorial Hospital-The grant funded renovation of a private room for lactating mothers (employees); support for breastfeeding (tables, chairs and small refrigerator); lactation support by a lactation specialist/RN as necessary, and development of a human resource policy that includes support for lactating women in the workplace.
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension of Dutchess County-The grant funded the purchase of appropriate supplies for staff to encourage and support breastfeeding in the workplace.  Three mini refrigerators, signage, pictures, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the program. 
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County-Originally for work with Wal-Mart, the grant was used to establish a breastpump rental service for staff of a transportation service.  The company created a lactation space at their facility. 
  • Cornell University - Office of Workforce Diversity and Inclusion-The campus already had 13 designated locations for pumping.  Many of the rooms were available to administrative staff.  The grant created 2 additional spaces more centrally located for hourly, low-wage and bargaining unit employees.  Funds purchased a mini-refrigerator, art work, paint, sinks, signage, and eduational material.  Cornell University added an amendment to the University Time Away From Work policy which further supported legislation and provides guidance to supervisors and employees on expectations and options for breastfeeding mothers.  Training is provided. 
  • Long Island Lactation Consultants Association-The Nassau County Department of Health partnered with the LILCA to establish a lactation room in the new health department building. 

Workplace Breastfeeding Programs:  Employer Case Studies

The national Business Group on Health released its new publication titled Workplace Breastfeeding Programs: Employer Case Studies.  This publication presents case studies to provide guidance regarding the development, implementation and evaluation of workplace breastfeeding programs. See link for the report.

http:businessgrouphealth.org/pdfs/NBGH%20Breastfeeding%20IB_Final%20Proof.pdf

 

The US Health and Human Services has announced the Business Case for Breastfeeding Technical Assistance website: 

http://www.hcdi.com/hrsa/worksitelactationsupport/index.html

Other resources include: Worksites for Wellness  www.worksitesforwellness.org

Worksites for Wellness is a not-for-profit company whose mission is to assist employers and employees to create and maintain clean, private lactation rooms in workplaces, so that women returning to work from maternity leave will not have to choose between weaning their babies and quitting their jobs.  Worksite for Wellness consults with non-profit organizations, for free, to help them choose and equip the space that will be suitable for mothers pumping breast milk during short breaks at work, and offers other kinds of technicial assistance as needed to help these organizations abide by the New York laws protecting nursing mothers' rights.

WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK


Event in the Mid-Hudson    

   NYC Subway Caravan with Senator Liz Krueger


  Walk at the State Capitol 


ADVOCACY

The coalition and individual members take action on issues related to breastfeeding.

Examples:

Breastfeeding in Public: A woman while visiting the NYS museum was asked to leave or stop breastfeeding her infant. A “nurse-in” was held. Two dozen moms didn’t let snow get in the way as they gathered in the lobby to nurse their babies next to the woolly mammoth. Several news agencies covered the event. The coalition offered training for museum staff.


Women are ticketed and arrested on the NYC subway for breastfeeding. Members participate in an annual Subway demonstration during WBW by riding the train from northern Manhattan to Brooklyn. Transit police are trained on breastfeeding laws.

Encouraging and working with government agencies to support breastfeeding:
NYS Consumer Protection Board – used the image of a baby bottle along with the slogan, “NYS Formula for Success on the packet of information geared towards “at risk families. The image on this packet was changed at the coalition’s request.