Tennessee Breastfeeding Coalition

06/10/2026

We hope you have enjoyed our individual speakers' promotions for our Tennessee Breastfeeding Symposium, that is now just two weeks away!
Make sure to register now to save your seat, either in person or virtually.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Registration info is in the comments.

06/10/2026

First day of the United States Breastfeeding Conference and Convening!

06/01/2026

Lactation licensure in Georgia, with the country and the world watching: What did we win? What did we lose? Where do we go from here?

Lactation licensure remains a critical topic for our field. We are hosting a facilitated discussion with an in-depth Q&A session to reflect on our panel’s insights regarding the timeline and after effects of the lactation professional licensing law.

This session will also examine how the licensure of qualified Lactation Professionals and IBCLCs may improve breastfeeding outcomes, as well as the potential for licensure to create systemic barriers to care and clinical support.
These insights are essential to our Symposium's mission and our theme, "Creating An Ecosystem Where All Breastfeeding Families Can Thrive."

Bring your questions and join us for this important topic and more at the Tennessee Breastfeeding Symposium!
The registration link is in the comments.

05/30/2026

We have soo much work to do to support our breastfeeding families!

The reality of breastfeeding and lactation for many parents in America.

🥺🥺

05/29/2026

Peer Counselors and Community Health Workers, REPRESENT!

We invite you to join us for a panel discussion featuring Breastfeeding Peer Counselors and Community Healthcare Professionals. This session offers a unique opportunity to hear directly from those "on the ground" regarding breastfeeding support, nutrition and BirthWork.

Our conversation will focus on the perspectives of those performing essential work who are often excluded or under-acknowledged in traditional continuity of care models. By highlighting these insights, we aim to broaden and strengthen networking capabilities between community healthcare providers and the broader medical field. This presentation is another important part of our Symposium’s theme, "Creating An Ecosystem Where All Breastfeeding Families Can Thrive."

Join us for this important topic and more at the Tennessee Breastfeeding Symposium!
The registration link is in the comments.

05/27/2026

It has been proven that Doula care helps to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes, but how?

This discussion will focus on managing and prioritizing breastfeeding, especially in high-risk clinical situations, including cesarean births, inductions, preterm/NICU infants, and maternal complications.

We invite you to join us for an insightful presentation by Denise Bolds, who will provide a Doula’s perspective on how breastfeeding helps to decrease maternal morbidity rates.

We will also explore together how systemic, cultural, and institutional factors contribute to breastfeeding disparities. This presentation is another essential component of our Symposium’s theme, "Creating An Ecosystem Where All Breastfeeding Families Can Thrive."

Join us for this important topic and more at the Tennessee Breastfeeding Symposium!
The registration link is in the comments.

05/26/2026

Mishelle Trescott will share with us a rural perspective on living with limited access to health care, breastfeeding support, and even less access to mental health care programs.

In Appalachia, many families and healthcare providers operate in survival mode when it comes to Perinatal Mood Disorders, rather than being able to find fulfillment in family care. Mishelle will discuss her work with sustainable models and programs designed to help both families and the healthcare providers that serve them, to move beyond survival to thriving.

This presentation is another key component of our Symposium's mission and our theme, "Creating An Ecosystem Where All Breastfeeding Families Can Thrive."

Join us for this important topic and more at the Tennessee Breastfeeding Symposium!
The registration link is in the comments.

05/22/2026

Who knew that wanting to support breastfeeding and maternal-child health could be so political?

Briana Perry will help us to explore how Healthy and Free Tennessee utilizes the legislative process to build advocacy skills, educate on reproductive justice issues, shape public narrative, and impact legal changes.

Together, we will learn about the blueprint created for future legislative engagement, including policies to expand access to maternal care resources. This session is another essential part of our Symposium’s theme, "Creating An Ecosystem Where All Breastfeeding Families Can Thrive."

Join us for this important topic and more at the Tennessee Breastfeeding Symposium!
The registration link is in the comments.

05/20/2026

What is the NASEM Breastfeeding Consensus Study Report? And, why are we super excited to have our Keynote Rockstar, Dr. Rafael Escamilla-Pérez present it to us?!

The NASEM (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine) Breastfeeding Consensus Study Report entitled, "Breastfeeding in the United States: Strategies to Support Families and Achieve National Goals," is a comprehensive blueprint designed to overhaul how the U.S. promotes and supports breastfeeding.
It shifts the narrative away from breastfeeding being solely the mother's responsibility and instead frames structural, social, and policy gaps as the primary barriers to success.

We are honored to have Dr. Rafael Escamilla-Pérez present these findings to us. His expertise will help us understand the report's potential impact in Tennessee, directly supporting our Symposium’s mission and our theme, "Creating An Ecosystem Where All Breastfeeding Families Can Thrive."

Join us for this important topic and more at the Tennessee Breastfeeding Symposium!
The registration link is in the comments.

05/18/2026

Systematic oppression has affected us all in one way or another. And for some, more than others. Dr. Umi conducted a study on how systematic oppression has impacted breastfeeding and maternal health outcomes in Tennessee.

Please join us to hear more about the study, its results, and how we can continue to improve support for all of our breastfeeding families. This information is another essential piece to our Symposium's mission and our theme, "Creating An Ecosystem Where All Breastfeeding Families Can Thrive."

Join us for this important topic and more at the Tennessee Breastfeeding Symposium!
The registration link is in the comments.