Childcare Alive! Infant Feeding

Goal: Provide breast milk to infants of mothers who wish to breastfeed. Welcome mothers to nurse throughout the day and support parents' decisions with infant feeding.

The best source of nutrition for infants until 6 months of age is breast milk. Research shows that breast milk improves infants’ immune systems and decreases the risk for obesity as they grow. You, as a child care provider, can help mothers continue to provide breast milk as long as possible by making your program breast-feeding friendly.

Helpful Websites and Resources

• Let's Move! Child Care Resource Center for Infant Feeding
• 10 Steps to Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Centers

  Wisconsin Deptartment of Health Services. Scroll to Appendices to find list of appropriate books, links for posters, brochures, dvds, and toys.

• Feeding the Breastfed Infant

  Publication from USDA Team Nutrition program specifically for child care centers, highlighting best feeding practices, how to support breastfeeding mothers, and proper handling/storage.

• Breastmilk Storage Guidelines
• Breastfeeding Welcome Here Poster
• Sample Policies - Breastfeeding
• Sample Policies - All 5 Goal Areas
• Sample Policies - Nutrition and Physical Activity