Early childhood teachers and providers with lactation knowledge and supportive practices can increase the length of time babies are breastfed, leading to better health for parents and babies.
Lactation-friendly child care toolkits, resources, training and recognition
Many toolkit resources are available in English and Spanish.
Tips for Starting your Breastfed Baby in Child Care: A toolkit for parents/guardians
Feeding Plan
- English. (PDF)
- Spanish. (PDF)
Lactation-Friendly Child Care Self-Assessment
Lactation-Friendly Action Plan
Lactation-Friendly Sample Policy
Adaptable community resources template.
- English (PDF)
Colorado lactation laws
- Bilingual. (PDF, Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition)
Child Care Breast Milk Storage Guidelines
- Bilingual. (PDF, Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition)
Paced bottle feeding handout
- Bilingual. (PDF, WIC)
Webinar
- Breastfeeding in Child Care Toolkit Training: A train-the-trainer webinar for partners. (mp4)
Partner slide deck
- Breastfeeding in Child Care Toolkit Training Presentation for Partners: A presentation for partners to adapt and use to train child care professionals. (Google Slides)
Spanish toolkit
- Training webinar. (mp4)
- Slides to adapt and use to train providers. (Google Slides)
Supporting Breastfeeding in Child Care offers free, interactive online lactation training for any early childhood teacher.
- PDIS (Professional Development Information System is the Colorado Shines training site.
- Search “breastfeeding” in the Training or Learning sections.
Become officially recognized as a lactation-friendly location by implementing written policies and practices outlined in the lactation-friendly toolkits.
- Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition resources and information. (Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition website)
- Healthy Child Care Colorado statewide recognition program and application. (Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition website)
- Lactation-Friendly child care programs in Colorado. (Healthy Child Care Colorado website)
- What is Lactation-Friendly Child Care Recognition? (Healthy Child Care Colorado website)
Guidance for early childhood educators
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Breastfeeding web page provides national guidelines and recommendations, handling and storage, policies, FAQs, and more.
- Support for Breastfeeding in Early Care and Education. (CDC webpage)
- Breastfeeding and Early Care and Education (ECE). (CDC webpage)
- How to Clean, Sanitize, and Store Infant Feeding Items Frequently Asked Questions (CDC webpage)
- Healthy Habits: Diaper Changing Steps for Childcare Settings (CDC webpage)
Office on Women’s Health (OWH) Breastfeeding
The Office on Women’s Health (OWH) Breastfeeding website provides general breastfeeding information, pumping tips, and employer information.
- OWH Helpline
- Call 800-994-9662, Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. MDT (closed on federal holidays)
- The OWH Business Case for Breastfeeding webpage provides education and resources for employers.
- The OWH Lactation Break Time and Space in All Industries webpage provides resources for creating lactation spaces in all types of workplaces.
Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine
- The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine website provides helpful information and protocols on breast milk benefits, storage, and more.
Human milk storage
- Colorado human milk storage guidelines for licensed child care programs. (PDF)
- Proper handling and storage of human milk. (CDC website)
- Contact with breast milk does not constitute occupational exposure. (Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website)
- Rules and Regulations Governing the Health and Sanitation of Child Care Facilities in the State of Colorado. (CDPHE web page)
Paced bottle-feeding videos
- Paced Bottle Feeding. (Breastfeeding Success YouTube video)
- Paced Bottle Feeding. (Best Feeding Lactation Services LLC YouTube video)
- Alimentar a un Bebé. (Boulder County Public Health YouTube video)
Handouts
- Multilingual lactation education resources
- Parent handouts. (Lactation Education Resources website)
- Professional handouts. (Lactation Education Resources website)
- Paced bottle feeding handout. (English and Spanish versions). (PDF)
- Caring for Our Children. (National Resources Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education website)
- Materials and handouts for child care professionals. (Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute (CGBI) website)
- Learn more about reimbursement for healthy meals and snacks served to Colorado’s children and adults in care centers and homes. (Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) webpage)
- Feeding Infants in the Child and Adult Care Food Program. (Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) webpage)
- Breastfeeding toolkits, materials, and local resources. (Boulder County website)
- Useful breastfeeding and infant feeding materials. (Healthy Kids, Healthy Future website)
- Useful links and resources for parents and families. (CDPHE web page)
- Helpful resources for families about breastfeeding and child care. (CDPHE web page)
- Free handouts and useful web pages to share with parents. (Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition website)
- La Leche League. (La Leche League website)
- La Leche League of Mountain Plains (website)
- Free downloadable handouts for parents in English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and Vietnamese. (Lactation Education Resources website)
- Free downloadable handouts for parents on breastfeeding and nutrition. (WIC Works Resource System website)
- Breastfeeding information for all parents, resources, webpages and printable handouts. (Colorado WIC website)
- Food and nutrition guidelines for all stages of child development. Developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- Healthy Children: Ages and Stages. (American Academy of Pediatrics website)
- Edades y Etapas. (American Academy of Pediatrics website)
- Feeding Cues handouts.
- Handouts in multiple languages. (Breastfeed LA website)
- Paced bottle feeding handout. (Lactation Education Resources website)
- Hunger cues in English, Chinese and Spanish. (Lactation Education Resources website)
- Hunger cues. (KellyMom website)
- Infant Developmental Skills. (USDA WIC website)
- Education and reference materials for child care centers. (Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute (CGBI) website)
- For a small fee, you can download KellyMom Professional Handouts for distribution to your clients/patients.(KellyMom website)
- Get tips on healthy eating for breastfeeding and how to breastfeed. Find guides to breastfeeding and sources of breastfeeding support. (Nutrition.gov website)
- Spanish Handouts. (Lactation Education Resources website)
- Bright Futures resources and handouts for families. (American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) website)
- Breastfeeding information in multiple languages. (MedlinePlus website)
Solid foods
- Starting solid foods parent education handouts in multiple languages. (American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) website)
- Guide to Solid Foods. (Colorado WIC website)
- Guide to Solid Foods English webpage
- Cómo cuidar a tu bebé Spanish webpage
- Colorado lactation laws. (Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition website)
How to calm a crying baby
- Videos
- How to Calm a Crying Baby. (YouTube video)
- How to Soothe a Crying Baby - Tips for New Parents and Caregivers (YouTube video)
- Como Calmar a un Bebé Llorando - Consejos para Nuevos Padres y Cuidadores (YouTube video)
- Websites
- Calming Techniques for a Crying Baby (English) (Children's Hospital Colorado website)
- Calma un bebé que llora: técnicas de relajación (Spanish) (Children's Hospital Colorado website)
- Soothing a Crying Baby. (NHS website)
Feeding cues
- Videos
- Baby Cues. (YouTube video)
- What is my baby trying to tell me? (YouTube video)
- Is my baby full? (English) (YouTube video)
- Is my baby full? (Spanish) (YouTube video)
Infant Development
- Hunger & Fullness Cues (PDF)
- Guidelines for Feeding Healthy Babies (WIC website)
Additional breastfeeding training options
- Boulder County Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care. (Boulder County Public Health website)
- 5210 Healthy Children Toolkit. (5210 Healthy Children PDF)
- Creating a Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Facility Training Modules. (Florida Health website)
- Breastfeeding-Friendly Childcare training resources. (UC San Diego website)
- Supporting Breastfeeding in the Child Care Setting. (Texas A&M website, *$10 fee)
Additional resources
- Ten Steps to Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care Centers. (Wisconsin Chronic Disease Prevention Unit, Division of Public Health website)
- National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care website
- Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine protocol on human milk storage. (ABM website)
- How to Support Breastfeeding Mothers at Work and Child Care: A Simple Guide for Child Care Providers. (Breastfeeding Coalition of Oregon YouTube video)
- Seeking Support for Breastfeeding at Work and Child Care: A Parent Guide. (Breastfeeding Coalition of Oregon YouTube video)
- Colorado child care model policy. (PDF)
- Colorado child care breastfeeding standards and best practices.(PDF)
Pumping and feeding
Paced bottle-feeding videos
- Paced Bottle Feeding. (Breastfeeding Success YouTube video)
- Paced Bottle Feeding. (Best Feeding Lactation Services LLC YouTube video)
- Alimentar a un Bebé. (Boulder County Public Health YouTube video)
Handouts
- Multilingual lactation education resources
- Parent handouts. (Lactation Education Resources website)
- Professional handouts. (Lactation Education Resources website)
- Paced bottle feeding handout. (English and Spanish versions). (PDF)
Breast Pumps
- Choosing a breast pump. (Parents Magazine website)
- How to get a free breast pump through insurance. Babylist website)
- Establishing and maintaining a milk supply. (KellyMom website)
- Pumping and storing breast milk. (OASH Office on Women's Health website)
- How to Keep Your Breast Pump Kit Clean. (PDF, CDC)
Breast massage and hand expression
Videos
- Milk expression tips. (KellyMom website)
- Pumping Strategies: Maximizing Your Output breast massage. (YouTube video)
- The Basics of Breast Massage and Hand Expression (Spanish subtitles). (Vimeo video)
- Hand expression after pumping for working moms. (Vimeo video)
Stanford Medicine
- Hand expression. (Stanford Medicine website)
- Maximizing milk production. (Stanford Medicine website)
Marmet Technique of hand expression
- Hand expression of breastmilk (LactApp website)
- The Basics of hand expression (Vimeo video)
- Colorado breast milk storage guidelines. (PDF)
- Rules and Regulations Governing the Health and Sanitation of Child Care Facilities in the State of Colorado. (PDF)
- Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards. (NRC website)
- Breast milk storage: Do's and don'ts. (Mayo Clinic website)
- Proper handling and storage of human milk. (CDC website)
- Breast milk exposure. (Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website)
- Breast milk storage and handling. (KellyMom website)
- La Leche League. (La Leche League website)
- La Leche League of Mountain Plains (website)
Starting solid foods
- Infant food and feeding guidelines. (American Academy of Pediatrics website)
- Starting solid foods (available in many languages). (American Academy of Pediatrics website)
- Is baby ready for solid foods? (KellyMom website)
- The Healthy Children website provides AAP food and nutrition guidelines for all stages of child development. It is also available in Spanish.
Education and promotion
- Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute education and reference materials for child care centers. (CGBI website)
- INFACT Canada website
- Noodle Soup, Inc website
- WIC breastfeeding posters are available in English and Spanish on the USDA WIC website.
- Childbirth graphics website
Breastfeeding toys and books
- Toys and activities
- Nursing Pets. (Manhattan Toy website)
- DVDs, activity books, books, coloring pages, free resources. (Noodle Soup, Inc. website)
Books
- My New Baby
- Author: Rachel Fuller
- If My Mom Were a Platypus: Mammal Babies and Their Mothers
- Author: Dia L. Michels
- Mama's Milk/Mama Me Alimenta
- Author: Michael Elsohn Ross
- Supermom and The World is Full of Babies!
- Author: Mick Manning
- What Baby Needs and Baby on the Way
- Author: William Sears MD and Martha Sears RN
- We Like to Nurse
- Author: Chia Martin
- Best Milk
- Author: Kate Carothers, RN, IBCLC
Helpful links
- Lactation Toolkits & Resources. (Google doc)
- Breastfeeding in the workplace
- Policies, information, lactation space ideas, etc. for employers. (CDPHE web page)
Related pages
- Breastfeeding parents and families. (CDPHE webpage)
- Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). (CDPHE webpage)
- Colorado WIC Program. (WIC webpage)