Lactation friendly health care providers
Extensive research has shown that breastfeeding improves the health of children, parents, the community, and the environment. Health care providers play a critical role in promoting, supporting and protecting breastfeeding.
Health care provider offices can implement policies and practices to become recognized as lactation-friendly.
Step One
- Become a Lactation Friendly Workplace. The application information is available through the Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition.
- Lactation Friendly Workplace recognized site list. (Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition website)
Step Two
- Review the Lactation Friendly Health Care Provider Toolkit.
Step Three
- Become a Lactation Friendly Health Care Provider through the Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition.
All direct health care providers should receive training on breastfeeding management.
American Academy of Pediatrics
- Physician education and training on breastfeeding. (American Academy of Pediatrics website)
CDC
- Physician education and training to support breastfeeding. (CDC website)
CDPHE-ECHO
- Provider Breastfeeding Training Series is a free online training. (CDPHE-ECHO Colorado website)
IABLE
- Breastfeeding education for healthcare providers. (IABLE LactEd website)
Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition
- Education for healthcare providers. (Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition website)
Lactation Education Resources
- CME courses for physicians. (Lactation Education Resources website)
Maryland Hospital
- Free CME courses. (Maryland Hospital Breastfeeding Resources website)
OPENPediatrics
- Bella Breastfeeding Provider Training. (OPENPediatrics website)
- Register and search “breastfeeding” or “bella”.
Stanford
- Stanford Medicine Breastfeeding Resources and Videos. (Stanford Medicine website)
Toolkits
- Colorado Lactation Friendly Health Care Office Toolkit. (PDF)
- Colorado lactation friendly workplace toolkit and recognition program. (PDF)
Colorado lactation toolkits and resources
- Billing/Coding
- Supporting Breastfeeding and Lactation: The Primary Care Pediatrician’s Guide to Coding 2022. (American Association of Pediatrics website)
- Coding and Billing. (ACOG website)
- Health First Colorado (Medicaid)
- Cover All Coloradans - Health Benefits for Children and Pregnant Persons. (Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing website)
- Durable Medical Equipment: Health First Colorado Breast Pump Coverage. (Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing website)
- Breast pump provider - access list for members. (PDF)
- CDPHE Cannabis Use During Pregnancy and Lactation
- Cannabis, You and Your Baby Fact Sheet. (PDF)
- Cannabis, You and Your Baby Poster. (PDF)
- Clinical guidelines for health care providers (coming soon)
Breastfeeding resources for health care providers
Center for Breastfeeding
- Healthy Children’s Project Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) certificate course. (Center for Breastfeeding website)
Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals Association
- Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals Association (CAPPA) Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) certificate course. (CAPPA website)
Community Lactation Access Project
- Community Lactation Access Project. (CLAP website)
International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners
- International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners website)
Lactation Education Resources
- Lactation IBCLC Exam Review. (Lactation Education Resources website)
Metropolitan State University (MSU)
- Lactation Consultant Training Certificate Program. (Metropolitan State University (MSU) website)
Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine
- Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine clinical protocols. (Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine website)
University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine: Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Breastfeeding
- About Breastfeeding. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website)
- Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. (Bab-Friendly USA website)
- Breastfeeding FAQs: Talking Points on Mothers’ Frequently Asked Questions about Nursing. (PDF)
Cannabis use in pregnancy and lactation
- Clinical guidance and resources for health care providers. (CDPHE website)
- Cannabis, You and Your Baby is available in multiple languages. (CDPHE website)
Human Lactation Study Center
- The Human Lactation Study Center is part of the Division of Neonatology and is a valuable resource for our physicians. If your physician has questions/concerns regarding what medications can be taken during breastfeeding or general questions regarding difficulties with breastfeeding, have them contact our center. The center maintains a database of drugs in lactation, medical information, and programs around breastfeeding.
- University of Rochester Lactation Study Line. (University of Rochester Golisano Children's Hospital website)
- Call 585-275-0088. Please Note: Inquiries from health professionals only.
International Lactation Consultant Association course providers directory
- Search the Directory of Course Providers. (ILCA website)
Medications and lactation
- Medications and human milk. (PDF)
- National Institute of Health Drugs and Medications Database. (National Library of Medicine website)
- Thomas Hale’s Breastfeeding and Medication. (InfantRisk Center website)
Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine
- Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) position on breastfeeding. (ABM website)
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (EatRight.org website)
- American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) position on supporting breastfeeding. (AAFP website)
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Policy Statement: Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk. (American Academy of Pediatrics website)
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) - Optimizing Support for Breastfeeding as Part of Obstetric Practice. (ACOG website)
- Position statement on breastfeeding. (American College of Nurse-Midwives website)
- Position statement on use of human milk and breastfeeding in neonatal intensive care unit. (National Association of Neonatal Nurses website)
- Position statement on breastfeeding and the use of human milk. (Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses website)
- Supporting Breastfeeding Worldwide through Maternity Protection. (American Public Health Association website)
Baby-Friendly USA
- Practice Guidelines. (Baby-Friendly USA website)
- The Training Program Performance Indicator Checklist is a tool to assess staff/provider breastfeeding knowledge and skills.
- The Training Program Performance Indicator Checklist. (Baby-Friendly USA PDF)
- The Training Program Performance Indicator Checklist is a tool to assess staff/provider breastfeeding knowledge and skills.
American Academy of Family Physicians
- Breastfeeding Support and Resources Toolkit. (American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) website)
American Academy of Pediatrics
- Breastfeeding Practice Tools for Health Professionals. (American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) website)
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- Breastfeeding Program and resources. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) website)
New York State Department of Health
- Breastfeeding Pocket Guide for Health Care Providers. (New York State Department of Health website)
U.S. Breastfeeding Committee
- Core Competencies in Breastfeeding Care and Services. (U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) website)
ACLU
- Breastfeeding discrimination. (ACLU website)
Colorado lactation laws
- Colorado lactation laws support breastfeeding (English). (PDF)
- Leyes de lactancia materna de Colorado (Spanish). (PDF)
- Colorado lactation laws. (Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition webpage)
- Colorado lactation laws PDF handout. (Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition)
- Colorado WIC Breastfeeding Laws Explained. (Colorado WIC website)
- Colorado breastfeeding in public law. (PDF)
- Colorado Workplace Accommodation for Nursing Mothers Act. (PDF)
- Summary of breastfeeding state laws. (National Conference of State Legislatures website)
Federal laws
- Federal workplace legislation under health care reform PUMP Act. (US Department of Labor website)
Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative
The Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative helps Colorado improve breastfeeding rates and support by assisting hospitals with maternity services to implement evidence-based policies and practices. The end goal is to support hospitals in achieving and maintain the Baby-Friendly designation.
Colorado Celebrate 6 Award of Breastfeeding Excellence
The Colorado Celebrate 6 Award of Breastfeeding Excellence recognizes hospitals with maternity services for having a written policy demonstrating implementation of at least six of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative’s evidence-based Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. Awards were provided at the Hospital Breastfeeding Summit in 2020 and again at the Hospital Recognition Event in 2023. Visit the Celebrate 6 Award of Breastfeeding Excellence web page for complete details, resources, and information.
- Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. (Baby-Friendly USA website)
- Celebrate 6 Award of Breastfeeding Excellence. (webpage)
Additional resources
- Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative. (CDPHE web page)
- Celebrate 6 Award of Breastfeeding Excellence. (CDPHE web page)
- Lactation toolkits and resources. (CDPHE web page)