I guess that this was inevitable, but the I've been noticing an increasing number of stories about breastfeeding support programs being cut or eliminated.
Breastfeeding support in San Luis Obispo, California, a hospital lactation program and a community breastfeeding support group in Ontario, Canada have all been on the chopping block in recent weeks.
Recent cuts at our local hospital led to a mom-driven push for our hospitals to become Baby Friendly.
There will surely be more stories of breastfeeding services being cut as hospitals and community health programs look for ways to reduce costs. Breastfeeding saves families, taxpayers, and our health care system a lot in reduced health care costs, but these days few people are taking the long view.
If there's a lesson here, it's that being a squeaky wheel works. No one likes bad publicity, and in some communities there is significant competition to become your provider. If the breastfeeding support program in your area has been important to you and it's now threatened, get together with other moms and speak up. You might be surprised by the response.
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