CA ACR234

Proclaims August 2018 as Breastfeeding Awareness Month of 2018 in California.

Recognizes that only 24.8 percent of California infants are exclusively breastfeeding at six months of age, below the recommendations of major health organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics and World Health Organization.

Affirms that major health organizations recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding until 12 months or longer as mutually desired.

Recognizes health, economic, and societal benefits including decreased risk of diseases in infants, reduced health care costs for mothers, and potential annual savings of $18.5 billion in health care and premature death-related expenses if 90 percent of women met breastfeeding recommendations.

Encourages Californians to work together to remove barriers to breastfeeding initiation and continuation by improving access to breastfeeding support services in medical, social, and employment settings.