A Case Study of Michigan’s Breastfeeding Initiative: The Role of Coalitions in Community-Based Breastfeeding Support

The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) funded 9 local breastfeeding coalitions to implement breastfeeding support groups and to develop breastfeeding resources for mothers and health professionals. The authors conducted qualitative analyses of reports, success stories, and MDCH grantees’ interview responses (via follow-up call with 3 coalitions) to assess key barriers, facilitators, and lessons learned for coalitions implementing breastfeeding support groups. Coalitions noted implementation barriers related to their organizational structure and to recruiting mothers and finding meeting locations. Facilitators to implementing breastfeeding support groups included referrals, expertise, resources, and incentives. The following themes emerged from the reports analysis regarding how to implement breastfeeding support groups: “meet moms where they are,” build community partnerships, and leverage in-kind and financial resources to sustain breastfeeding support groups.