In solidarity with thousands of individuals and many organizations across the United States of America and the world, the U.S. Lactation Consultant Association calls on lawmakers to end immediately the forced separation of children from their parents at the U.S. border. This unnecessary practice is harmful to both adults and their children, and no justification for this practice should be prioritized above the health and well-being of human beings.
As International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), we work daily alongside many more breastfeeding advocates and providers of health care to support and ensure optimal health of pregnant people, parents, infants, children, and the general public through education about and assistance with breastfeeding. The IBCLC is an expert in infant feeding and is responsible to uphold scientific, evidence-informed theory and practice that is free from conflict of interest, be it financial, academic, personal, political, or otherwise.
Separation of children from their parents creates barriers to breastfeeding and safe infant feeding, and to our knowledge, no IBCLCs have been contacted with regard to how to appropriately feed infants away from their parents, to support and protect continued lactation in lactating persons who do not have access to their children for breastfeeding, or any general information about infant and young child feeding in national emergencies, natural disasters, or humanitarian crises. It is critical to understand that globally, children breastfeed far beyond infancy and that this practice is important to the health of families and the general public. The abrupt removal of the opportunity to be breastfed or to express breast milk has serious health consequences for infants, toddlers, and their lactating parents, and USLCA firmly opposes this practice in all circumstances. In addition, all major health organizations with policies about infant feeding call for the use of pasteurized donor human milk in all situations where their own parent’s milk is not available; the use of safely prepared infant formula for all children under the age of 12 months is only recommended when neither their own parent’s milk nor pasteurized donor human milk are available.
USLCA calls for the immediate and rapid reunification of families who have been separated from each other, as well as the provision of appropriate health care and support for all persons who have been directly affected by the practice of forced separation. This includes comprehensive health consultation for all facets of physiological and mental health, as well as support for resuming breastfeeding, milk expression, and education and support to ensure safe infant and young child feeding.
Thank you very much for this call. It is very well written and should be an eye-opener for those who cannot think the unthinkable effects of this separation on these young lives.
Thank you USLCA for standing up for babies and families, makes me proud to be a member. Violation of human rights happens every day all over the world, this time is very close to our home and we may have an opportunity to do more. Is there any USLCA contact with any other organizations, including government, where some of us may volunteer with support and information for these families? I’m assuming that if people are detained authorities will have to be prepared with medical support if needed. IBCLC’s support access to a basic human need and right, so I ask what else can we do?
The thought of a breastfeeding baby torn from her mother hits us in our very core. How will we ever make up for those days of babies crying for their mothers and fathers ? We are better than this.
The United States has an unfortunate history of separating children from their families. From Slacery to the Mexican-American war, to resettlement camps for Native and First Nations, we are not new to this.
Today is an opportunity to stand as a rock in the stream of history and refuse to carry on with this abhorrent tradition. To look with one eye in the past and one in the future, and say “No more.”
We cannot change what we did yesterday, but we can control today and tomorrow.
Thank you for standing up, USLCA!!
Thank you USLCA for standing up. I am happy to put my name behind this statement. As a parent, as someone who works with parents everyday, and as an immigrant, this is a scary time. Thank you for standing up, and being part of the resistance.
This separation policy is unconscionable, inhumane, and despicable, regardless of any other national issues with immigration. Baby Cafe USA joins the outrage of our population and calls for EVERYONE to speak now. Call your Senators, and get everyone else to. DO SOMETHING!
Thank you USLCA. Families belong together, we must end this tragedy.
Thank you so much ED. I thank you so much. Honored. And blessed.
Laura Whitsett IBCLC
Amen USLCA. Families need to stay as families. This is unjust suffering
Thank you, USLCA, for this statement addressing an agonizing time for our society. Families belong together.
I support that families are reunited and that there is an end to this tragedy to the suffering families. Keep children with their families.