Recent Past Projects

PA Breastfeeding Mini Grant for Organizational and Database Development
was funded by the PA Department of Health in 2007 to facilitate work on our
strategic plan. Part of this project was to update our database of key breastfeeding
advocates across the state to facilitate our ability to disseminate information across
the commonwealth.

Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Collaborative
In 2008, PA-BC collaborated with Maternity Care Coalition (MCC)
to develop and administer a contract under the Office on Women’s Health (OWH),
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The project committed MCC and
the Allegheny County Department of Health plus three new partners around the state
to hold breastfeeding-friendly business awards campaigns from August through
December 2008. The Collaborative produced a brochure explaining the value of
supporting breastfeeding employees.

The Business Case for Breastfeeding, which focused on encouraging employers to
establish, maintain, and expand programs to enable their breastfeeding employees to
continue breastfeeding their infants after they return to work. We feel that advocacy
to protect breastfeeding by women at work is an essential link in our efforts to carry
out our mission.

Projects Over the Last 2 Decades

Developed a website and brochure to inform members and the public about PABC and issues
Developed a website and brochure to inform members and the public about PA-BC and issues
that pertain to breastfeeding.
Developed a statewide network of county contact people for two-way communication between
PABC and the counties. Published and distributed a newsletter for county contacts.
Surveyed hospital breastfeeding policies recognizing the hospitals with the best policies.
Developed and distributed a model hospital breastfeeding policy.
Worked with State Senator Alyson Y. Schwartz and the Women’s Law Project to draft
legislation on public breastfeeding
Supported State Senator Connie Williams’ successful “Freedom to Breastfeed Act.”
Co-sponsored a teleconference on breastfeeding, targeted to physicians.
Surveyed professional education programs to find out whether breastfeeding is covered in
their curricula. Developed resource material on breastfeeding to offer to programs that
provide professional education in PA.
Annual Governor’s Proclamation for World Breastfeeding Week
Sending representatives to U.S. Breastfeeding Committee’s National Conferences
Received PA Department of Health mini-grant to collaborate on building a Pennsylvania
breastfeeding resource database
Formed a statewide Mother-Friendly Workplace Collaborative and carried out a statewide
Employer Recognition Award
Business Case for Breastfeeding Project