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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American
3College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American
4Academy of Family Physicians, the Academy of Breastfeeding
5Medicine, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations
6Children's Fund recommends that most babies be exclusively
7breastfed for the first 6 months of life and continue on with
8breast milk through the first year of life; and
 
9    WHEREAS, In January 2011 the U.S. Surgeon General announced
10a "Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding" that identifies
11methods in which families, communities, employers, and health
12care professionals can improve breastfeeding rates and
13increase support for breastfeeding; and
 
14    WHEREAS, In April 2011 HealthConnect One, the Department of
15Human Services, and the University of Illinois at Chicago
16School of Public Health released the "Illinois Breastfeeding
17Blueprint: A Plan for Action" to implement strategic,
18data-based recommendations to improve breastfeeding
19initiation, continuation, and exclusivity for all women,
20babies, and children in this State; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Breastfeeding helps provide unique health
22benefits to babies, including lower rates of illnesses and

 

 

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1diseases such as ear infections, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
2(SIDS), asthma, and childhood obesity; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Studies have shown that children who were
4breastfed had a 20% lower risk of dying in their first year of
5life compared to children who were not breastfed; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Breast milk contains important nutrients that
7help support infant brain development; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Breastfeeding offers numerous health benefits to
9new mothers by reducing their risk of diabetes, breast and
10ovarian cancers, and postpartum depression; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Breastfeeding has positive economic impacts on
12families by decreasing the need to pay for medical care for a
13sick infant and eliminating the need to purchase infant
14formula; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Breastfeeding contributes to a more productive
16workforce since parents miss fewer days of work to care for a
17sick infant; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Data from 2004 to 2008 shows that only one in 3
19Illinois babies met the recommendation of exclusive
20breastfeeding for 6 months; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Illinois is below the national average and far
2below the Healthy People 2020 Objectives in regards to
3breastfeeding continuation and exclusivity rates; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Severe racial and economic health disparities
5persist in breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates,
6especially considering that half of black mothers in Illinois
7never breastfeed their babies; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Many women who attempt to initiate or continue
9breastfeeding lack access to medical, financial, or social
10supports; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Medicaid provides coverage for breast pumps, but
12zero coverage for support services, such as lactation
13consultants or peer counselors; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Private insurance provides little to no coverage
15for breast pumps or breastfeeding support services, such as
16lactation consultants or breastfeeding peer counselors;
17therefore, be it
 
18    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
19ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the State of Illinois
20recognizes the unique health, economic, and societal benefits

 

 

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1that breastfeeding provides to babies, mothers, families, and
2the community as a whole; and be it further
 
3RESOLVED, That the State of Illinois shall work to ensure that
4barriers to initiation and continuation of breastfeeding are
5removed and that a mother's right to breastfeed is upheld.