Take Action

My vision of a breastfeeding culture is not one where women are coerced into nursing their children, but where any woman who desires the experience has the information, support and community in which to do so - regardless of income, work environment, or anything else. 

Part of this vision, of course, entails restoring the links involving pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and early parenting.  This means creating a culture that truly respects women, respects babies, and respects the birth process. 

If you share this vision, there are organizations which would welcome your involvement and support and many activities you can help organize or do yourself. 

Organizations

Citizens for Midwifery – A national consumer-based group that promotes the Midwifery Model of Care.  Site also contains state by state legal information on the status of direct entry midwifery; a grassroots E-mail list, many links and more.   http://www.cfmidwifery.org/ 

ICAN - International Cesarean Awareness Network, Inc. An international, non-profit member organization that works to help lower the rate of unnecessary c-sections and to encourage positive birthing experiences through education and advocacy:  http://www.ican-online.org/

La Leche League - an internationally recognized authority on breastfeeding with over 3000 groups in more than 60 countries.  Meetings are free to members and non-members alike and you don't have to wait until your baby is born to go.   www.lalecheleague.org  or call 847-519-7730 to find a group near you.

CIMS: Coalition for Improving Maternity Services: A coalition of individuals and national organizations that promotes an evidence-based, wellness model of maternity care. Its mission is to promote normal birth, improve birth outcomes and reduce costs:   http://www.motherfriendly.org/  

Lactavism

International Baby Food Action Network:  public interest groups working around the world to reduce infant and young child morbidity and mortality. IBFAN aims to improve the health and well-being of babies and young children, their mothers and families through the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding and optimal infant feeding practices. IBFAN works for universal and full implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes that was adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1981.  www.ibfan.org

NABA National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy: represents IBFAN (International Baby Food Action Network) and WABA (World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action) in the U.S: http://www.waba.org.my/

Baby Milk Action: a non-profit organization that aims to save lives and to end the avoidable suffering caused by inappropriate infant feeding.  Baby Milk Action works within a global network to strengthen independent, transparent and effective controls on the marketing of the baby feeding industry. http://www.babymilkaction.org/

INFACT Canada:   a Toronto-based national non-governmental organization that works to protect infant and young child health as well as maternal well-being through the promotion and support of breastfeeding and optimal infant feeding practices.   It seeks to end the unethical marketing by the infant formula and infant food industries through the full implementation of the World Health Organization’s International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and subsequent relevant resolutions of the World Health Assembly.   http://infactcanada.ca

Nurse at Starbucks.com.  After one too many women was asked to leave Starbucks for breastfeeding, this site was created in an attempt to get this preeminent coffee shop to become more breastfeeding friendly.  Contains helpful information for organizing a "nurse-in" and other links about breastfeeding in public.

What You Can Do In Your Own Community

Encourage your local health care facilities to become designated as mother-and baby-friendly. http://www.babyfriendlyusa.org/ 

Advocate for hospital policies that don't separate mothers and babies.

Lobby your insurance company to pay for breast pumps, doula services, and lactation consultants.

Join or create a coalition to establish a local milk bank.  www.hmbana.org. 

Help create a breastfeeding drop-in center where women could find professional support and/or nursing mothers.

Buy a copy of The Breastfeeding Cafe for your local library or health care provider.

Volunteer to help support teen parents.

Educate your employer about corporate lactation policies (or even better, on-site nurseries) and help to create them. A number of companies help businesses implement corporate lactation programs.  A good place to start is with Medela, an international company providing high quality breast pump and breastfeeding accessories to nursing moms.  http://www.medela.com/NewFiles/corplactprgm.html

Organize a film festival of inspiring birthing videos. 

Suzanne Arms, author of the revolutionary Immaculate Deception, has a wonderful and visionary website, "Birthing the Future." One page lists 52 things you can do to help improve childbirth.  Here are a few excerpts adapted from her site. 

        ?Write letters about your concerns regarding birth and some changes you wish to see and send it to your local/national paper, as a letter to the editor, or to local/national TV shows.  Request that they do an investigative story on birth in your area or that they interview and follow a local midwife, a birth center, or a woman who’s had a home birth.
 

       ?Create a book club to read books about birth, midwifery and other related subjects.

              ?Midwives are under attack in many parts of the country.  Form a local group to support midwives in your area and home birth–birth.  Contact Citizens for Midwifery. They’ll help you! www.cfmidwifery.org

         ?Be the change you want to see happen.  Wish someone a wonderful birth experience.  Be positive and encouraging to pregnant women you meet.  Offer to help a friend when she is in labor or after the baby is born.  Praise women you see nursing their babies in public.

Access Suzanne's full list at:  http://www.birthingthefuture.com/TakingAction/ThingsYouCanDo.php

The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.  As anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, ""Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."