Nutrition

The State of Georgia Supports Breastfeeding as the Preferred Method for Infant Feeding

Loving Support

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DCH) promotes, protects and supports breastfeeding as the preferred method of infant feeding for the first year, and beneficial to both the infant's and the mother's health. The Georgia Department of Public Health Position Paper on Breastfeeding declares this position and states that Department has a vital role and a responsibility to create a supportive public environment in order to encourage breastfeeding as the cultural norm.

Goal

To make breastfeeding the norm in infant feeding practices and to provide breastfeeding information, education, and support to pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Benchmark

Healthy People 2010, Breastfeeding Goals, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

  • To increase to 75% the proportion of mothers who breastfeed their babies in the early postpartum period.
  • To increase to 50% the proportion of mothers who breastfeed their babies through five to six months of age.
  • To increase to 25% the proportion of mothers who breastfeed their babies through the end of the first year.

Healthy People 2020, new objectives are:

  • Increase the percentage of employers who have worksite lactation programs.
  • Decrease the percentage of breastfed newborns who receive formula supplementation within the first 2 days of life.
  • Increase the percentage of live births that occur in facilities that provide recommended care for lactating mothers and their babies.

Outcome Measures

  • Increase the percentage of mothers who breastfeed their infants at hospital discharge.
  • Increase the infant breastfeeding initiation rate among women enrolled in the Georgia WIC program.
  • Increase the percentage of women enrolled in WIC who continue breastfeeding for at least six months.

May 2008 Breastfeeding Proclamation Signing