Ask Obama to Support Breastfeeding

Ask Obama to Support Breastfeeding

Dear Moms and Colleagues,

We hope you will take a moment to help put breastfeeding on the agenda of the new administration by asking President-elect Obama to place a high priority on breastfeeding as an essential public health issue.

There is virtually universal agreement among health care experts that, with rare exceptions, breastfeeding is the optimal method of feeding all infants, sick as well as healthy, preterm as well as full-term. In addition to myriad health benefits provided to mother and infant, breastfeeding provides significant economic and environmental benefits for families, employers, and society by reducing health care expenses, eliminating the need to purchase expensive formula, and reducing absenteeism from work to care for sick infants. Learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding at: www.4woman.gov/breastfeeding.

The United States Breastfeeding Committee has created a petition to the President-elect, urging him to take several actions to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.

SIGN THE PETITION TO PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA:

www.usbreastfeeding.org/obamapetition

In the coming months, our leaders will be focused on our economic and financial future. This time of crisis also presents an opportunity to remind them that working mothers are an essential part of our nation's economic security, just as the health of our children is a critical part of our future. A full three-quarters of mothers are now in the labor force. As government and employers cut back in response to the recession, many more families are struggling to cover the rising costs of health care, groceries, and other necessities. We need your support to ensure that, in these troubled economic times, all women and families can access the resources and support they need to do what's best for their babies.

Demonstrate your support for breastfeeding by signing the petition now. And please don't forget to forward this message far and wide so as many people as possible get a chance to sign, too. Every signature counts. Sign here: www.usbreastfeeding.org/obamapetition