Is your child care a Lactation Feeding Friendly Environment?

A Lactation Feeding Friendly child care program promotes and supports lactation and breast/human milk feeding for the families they serve and their staff. They understand and value the importance of breast/human milk and recognize that many families want to continue to offer breastmilk to their child after returning to work. The Lactation Feeding Friendly child care program provides a safe and welcoming environment for all families as well as their staff.
 
The Snohomish Health District is developing a program to recognize child cares who offer this type of welcoming environment. We have created a survey that will guide us in developing the best toolkit possible to assist your child care in becoming recognized as a Lactation Feeding Friendly Environment.
 
This short survey consists of 10 questions and should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete. Please select the response that best fits your child care. We appreciate any responses to the questions that you can provide.

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* 1. Our child care provides an atmosphere that welcomes both staff and families to continue offering breast/human milk for their child(ren).

For example: there is a quiet and comfortable place that mothers can feed their babies or express breast/human milk. The child care encourages mothers to visit and feed or pump breast/human milk during the day. Child care employees are also welcomed to do the same for their infants.

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* 2. In what ways does your child care help staff and parents continue to feed breast/human milk to their babies? Select all that apply.

For example: parents are told about the child care's policies and services regarding feeding of breast/human milk. The child care’s parent handbook for new families includes information on feeding breast/human milk.

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* 3. Our child care has accurate, written information and resources available for staff and parents regarding lactation.

For example: staff are familiar with written materials and available community resources such as support groups and lactation consultants to refer as appropriate.

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* 4. Our child care feeds infants on demand and tries to coordinate feeding times with the infants’ normal feeding schedule.

For example: staff recognize infant feeding cues to initiate feeding and have a feeding plan that represents the infant’s feeding schedule at home.

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* 5. Our child care trains all staff who work with children, to support the feeding of breast/human milk. Select all that apply.

For example: staff convey a positive attitude that parents can return to work and continue to provide/feed breast/human milk, and that the child care can support them. Staff are trained about the benefits of feeding breast/human milk, preparation, and storage.

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* 6. Please select all the responses that describes your commitment to breast/human milk feeding for your program:

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* 7. How many infants (0-12 months) are typically in your care and approximately what percentage of those infants are being fed breast/human milk?

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* 8. What barriers has your child care encountered that have made it difficult for parents and/or staff to offer breast/human milk?

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* 9. What tips can you offer to other child cares who want to become lactation friendly?

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* 10. What would help your child care in becoming a lactation feeding friendly environment?

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* 11. (Optional) Please provide: your name, your title, the name of your child care/organization/company, and the county that your child care is located in.

Thank you for your participation in this survey. Your answers will be compiled to help provide child cares with the information necessary to become a Lactation Feeding Friendly Environment.

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