• Healthy Interventions

    Breastfeeding Support and Resources Toolkit

    A Healthy Start for Your Youngest Patients

    Evidence shows that breastfeeding is a healthy choice for your youngest patients and their families. The American Academy of Family Physicians supports you in your decision to support and encourage breastfeeding in your office. We have compiled a variety of resources, including the AAFP’s extensively updated, evidence-guided position paper based on the United States Breastfeeding Coalition's Core Competencies, to help you and your office team create a positive breastfeeding environment for your patients.

    Office-Based Tools

    Practical tools and resources to support patient care strategies

    Community Engagement

    Data and resources to collaborate with community-based organizations

    Advocacy Action

    Information on local, state, and national advocacy efforts

    Science & Education

    Evidence-based knowledge and education


    Office-Based Tools

    Patient Care

    In-Office Patient Education

    • AAFP Breastfeeding Basics PowerPoint Presentation: Educate your patients about the benefits of breastfeeding, assist them with both basic techniques and common challenges, and help create a baby-friendly office.
    • AAFP Breastfeeding-Friendly Poster for Physician Offices: This AAFP resource is free and depicts the international symbol for breastfeeding. The poster can be downloaded, printed and prominently displayed in your waiting room. This pdf comes in color and in black and white.

    Coding & Payment

    For Your Patients

    More at-home resources for your patients


    Community Engagement

    Partner Resources from the HHS Office on Women’s Health (OWH)

    HHS Office on Women's Health Director Dr. Nancy Lee has published a blog post featuring tips to support nursing moms. The new OWH Partner Resources webpage also features new materials to help spread the word about the Supporting Nursing Moms at Work: Employer Solutions online resource, including sample social media posts, infocards, and web badges for easy sharing with managers, human resource directors, coworkers, and employees.

    Culture and Breastfeeding

    Culture plays a large role when making the decision to breastfeed and successful outcomes for better health outcomes, including factors such as ethnic beliefs, family support systems, and income. To better understand cultural influences in providing patient care and support to your patients, these resources can help:

    State Health Agency Breastfeeding and Support by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)

    Public health agencies play a key role in providing breastfeeding support in the workplace, hospitals, and in the community. Working with the CDC, ASTHO works with 17 state health agencies, including the district of Columbia, to increase breastfeeding through learning.


    Advocacy Action

    AAFP Position Paper on Breastfeeding

    The AAFP released its extensively updated position paper in October, 2014, which includes the latest scientific evidence and recommendations with supporting materials in appendices. This improved position paper is easier to use, reference, and with fewer pages.

    Read the Paper

    Making the Case - Benefits for Supporting Breastfeeding Moms Returning to Work

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed resources that can help you make the case for breastfeeding support for employers, healthcare professionals, and employees:


    Science & Education

    Importance of Growth Charts

    The WHO standards establish growth of the breastfed infant as the norm for growth, for at least 4 months and up to 12 months.

    United States Breastfeeding Coalition's (USBC) Core Competencies

    The USBC is an independent nonprofit coalition of more than 40 nationally influential organizations. Its mission is to improve the nation’s health by working collaboratively to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. The USBC’s Core Competencies were developed to be used as a guideline to integrate evidence-based breastfeeding into every day practice. The USBC Core Competencies are endorsed by the AAFP.