Breastfeeding Initiative

As part of our Centers for Disease Control (CDC) REACH grant, Bronx Health REACH is working to increase continuity of care/community support for breastfeeding by providing worksite and community trainings to establish lactation support services onsite as well as subsidize a Bronx Baby Café. Breastfeeding is significant to preventive care as compelling research shows that breastfed children have lower rates of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and obesity.

The Bronx has  the lowest breastfeeding rates in New York City. Breastfeeding has been linked to significant health benefits for both mothers and babies, but only about 24% of pregnant women in the Bronx intend to exclusively breastfeed, compared with 38% of pregnant women across the rest of NYC.

Infants should be breastfed exclusively for their first 6 months of life for optimal growth, development, and health. It is crucial that mothers get breastfeeding support in these early critical months of their infant’s life.

Bronx Health REACH hosts breastfeeding friendly worksite and community space trainings. The trainings cover NY State laws around breastfeeding, ways in which all work environments and community spaces can contribute to building a breastfeeding friendly environment for coworkers and patients, and benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for mothers, infants, and communities. Additionally, we help to identify a breastfeeding friendly space within the building and provide resources to create a comfortable and welcoming environment for new mothers including a comfortable chair, pillows, signage, and curtains or screens to create privacy.

Breastfeeding can be a wonderful experience, but it can also be challenging for some moms, especially after giving birth to a newborn child. The NYC Baby Café Bronx, located at Morrisania – Gotham Health in the South Bronx, hosts a weekly baby cafe to provide breastfeeding support for soon-to-be and new mothers in the community. This free service is held via Zoom and is conducted in English and Spanish and welcomes all family members and supporters. The Baby Café provides a comforting environment for the mothers to share their experiences while getting support from experienced staff, who are International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) and healthcare professionals who provide clinical management for breastfeeding through education and counseling. The goal is to promote breastfeeding as the sole means of feeding one’s newborn and help mothers meet their breastfeeding goals. Staff at the Baby Café address concerns about  baby’s weight gain, returning to work or school, and providing a safe space for new moms to talk about mothering with other moms.