Overview

Breastfeeding has many health benefits for infants, children, and mothers. Benefits for infants include reduced risk of type 1 diabetes, obesity, asthma, and sudden infant death syndrome. Benefits for mothers include lowering the risk for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and breast and ovarian cancers.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant’s life. It also recommends to continue breastfeeding until children are at least 12 months old while introducing appropriate foods. Families can continue breastfeeding along with appropriate foods for up to 2 years or longer. Alaska families have high rates of breastfeeding when a baby is first born, but they often face challenges with continuing to breastfeed. Many families stop earlier than they had planned.

Program

We work with state and community partners  to implement policies and activities. These partnerships support Alaska families to reach their breastfeeding goals and enjoy related health benefits. Some partners include the Alaska WIC  program and Kodiak Kindness  .

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Physical Activity and Nutrition