The California Breastfeeding Coalition (CBC) would not be what it is today without our local coalitions.
We see the work you do and want to acknowledge your efforts. Specifically, we appreciate your work in the following areas:
Community Education
Thank you for conducting, sponsoring or partnering to provide educational programming for your hospitals, clinics, public health programs and community partners. We all know education plays a vital role in the promotion of breastfeeding. By educating your communities, you equip them to better support the families they serve. Please let us know of any upcoming education or training events in your area.
Social Media Activity
Thank you for using social media platforms to protect, promote and support breastfeeding, chestfeeding and the use of donor human milk. Every post on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube (and more) – works to promote breastfeeding, support families and to normalize human milk as the best first food for everyone in California. Your posts reach into the corners of the state where we might not be able to go. Your posts also reach partners, the media, elected officials, providers and parents. We love to amplify your messages. Please tag us in your posts on Facebook and Twitter and also let us know how we can best support your efforts.
Support Groups
Thank you for supporting your communities. As local coalitions, you are the best expert on the needs of your community. When you host or partner with others who host support groups for mothers, parents and lactating individuals, you notice trends and cultural shifts related to infant feeding. When you pass along your experiences and observations to us, you better equip us to advocate for families at the state level. We want to promote your support groups, meetings and events on our website and on social media. Email Ximena.cbc@gmail.com to get on the events page of our site. Tag us in your social media events, and we will share from there.
Cultivating Partnerships
Thank you for thinking out of the box to create critical partnerships across many different sectors. When you collaborate with community-based organizations, public health programs, workplaces, and institutions of higher learning in your region, you build a community of equitable breastfeeding support. You extend our reach and the effectiveness of our work. We love to hear stories of how you are working with others to expand the support and promotion of breastfeeding. Share them via email or social media.
Workplace Accommodation Advocacy
Thank you for supporting the CBC’s vision to lead the nation when it comes to workplace policies that promote, support and protect breastfeeding and lactation rights. When you speak up on behalf of working Californians and advocate for equitable policies, you are helping to realize that vision. We are fortunate to have the most progressive lactation accommodation legislation, policies and practices, but the work is not done. We know that there are still working Californians who are denied their rights and employers who do not understand the importance of compliance. Your direct support of families and your willingness to refer complaints and compliance issues to us helps to improve our advocacy efforts.
Effecting Change
We know the work can be heavy and there are never enough people or funds to do all that you want to accomplish, however you are making a difference. You are a critical component of changing the landscape around breastfeeding, chestfeeding and the use of donor human milk in California. By working with families, schools, hospitals, worksites and child care centers in your communities, you are making a real difference. Download our gratitude poster here.
Speaking of making a difference, the California Breastfeeding Summit is the perfect place to meet and network with other change-makers from throughout the state. Held from Jan. 21 through 23 in Sacramento, the Summit includes workshops, research presentations, awards, and more. Join us at the Simply the Best Legacy Gala to honor human milk banking trailblazer Pauline Sakamoto, local coalitions and other advocates who’ve made great strides in our work this year.
For a complete list of coalitions by county, click here. If you’d like to share what you’re thankful for this year, tweet us at @californiabf or email californiabreastfeeding@gmail.com.