Breastfeeding Is Natural,
But It's Not Always Easy.
Welcome to our breastfeeding and education resources hub! Empowering families and nourishing futures through trusted, evidence-based breastfeeding information and
statewide lactation support resources.
Breastfeeding is a powerful way to give your baby the healthiest start in life. Whether you're a new parent, supportive partner, health care professional, or employer, our website is meant to provide you with the information and tools you need to navigate the breastfeeding journey.
Breastfeeding can be a challenging experience for many, and it’s important to recognize that it’s not always easy. Every parent’s experience is unique, and it’s common to face hurdles. Barriers to breastfeeding are everywhere—in our culture, in our families, in our communities, at work, at child care, and even sometimes in the health care system. Each of these reasons contributes to why parents struggle to exclusively breastfeed their babies. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while many parents want to breastfeed, only about six out of every ten breastfeeding parents, are reaching their infant feeding goals.
“I am currently breastfeeding my baby boy who is four months old. I also breastfed my two girls. I breastfed one for 8 months and the other one for 1 month. In the beginning it was hard because I didn’t know what I was doing, even though it’s my 3rd baby it was still different.
It was difficult in the beginning because I would feel pain from the baby feeding, or when my breast is full of milk,
but I did it for as long as I could because it's good for my children.
It gets easier as time passes by, and you learn more.”
~ Blanca - Lawrence Township, Mercer County
However, despite these challenges, breastfeeding is truly worth the effort. It offers a great number of health benefits, strengthens bonding between parent and child, and provides comfort and nourishment in ways that formula simply can't replicate. For these reasons, all major health authorities recommend that babies be breastfed.
Preparation and support for breastfeeding, chestfeeding, and human milk feeding can make all the difference to your infant feeding journey. Statewide policy, systems improvements, and cultural change and can help to normalize breastfeeding which is why this initiative is a central element of the 2022-2027 New Jersey Breastfeeding Strategic Plan (BSP). The BSP recognizes that everyone--from parents and families to health care providers to employers, communities, and government agencies—can play a role in helping parents reach their infant feeding goals.
Breastfeeding is a Journey
These videos capture real stories from breastfeeding parents on the highs and lows of feeding their babies. From the preparation or lack of preparation for breastfeeding to the advice they have for new parents starting out after figuring out how to make it work, these videos will give you a great glimpse into how breastfeeding is worth the effort.
This graphic gives an indication of how many New Jersey families begin with an intention to breastfeed immediately after birth, but, for varying reasons, no longer breastfeed one month after hospital discharge with an even larger decline by two months.
This suggests that while most families begin breastfeeding, maintenance and continued support need improvement to help more families continue past the early weeks. Improved postpartum support, access to skilled lactation support, and workplace accommodations can help improve breastfeeding continuation rates.
Supporting breastfeeding is also vital to addressing New Jersey's racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and infant health and mortality. A Black mother in New Jersey is almost seven times more likely than a White mother to die from maternity-related complications, and a Black baby is over three times more likely than a White baby to die before his or her first birthday. Hispanic mothers are 3.5 times more likely compared with white mothers and Hispanic babies are 1.6 times more likely to die.
Breastfeeding helps reduce the risk of some causes of infant and maternal mortality. Therefore, making the choice breastfeed will contribute to better health outcomes and health equity in New Jersey.
