The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) will convene an ad hoc committee of experts to leverage available data and literature to conduct a consensus study on policies, programs, and investments to better understand the landscape of breastfeeding promotion, initiation, and support across the United States. The study will provide an evidence-based analysis of the macroeconomic, social, and health costs and benefits of the United States' current breastfeeding rates and goals. The study will build on what is known about inequalities in breastfeeding rates and reducing racial, geographic, and income-related breastfeeding disparities. The Committee will identify existing gaps in knowledge, areas for needed research, and will discuss challenges in data collection to address said gaps.

Based on available evidence, the committee will address the following issues and offer conclusions and recommendations: 

1. Best practices for clinicians, healthcare systems, insurers, and employers to encourage breastfeeding by new mothers and to support mothers who are currently breastfeeding, including mothers from minority and marginalized populations and those experiencing poverty
2. Macroeconomic, health, and social costs of current U.S. breastfeeding rates
3. Funding mechanisms, state and federal policies, interventions, and systemic, cross-sector, or field innovations that can support exclusive breastfeeding through the first 6 months of life and/or address racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities and other marginalizing factors
4. How insurers implement comprehensive lactation services, set standards to determine reimbursement rates for breastfeeding supplies and services, and provide coverage to help women breastfeed
5. Racial, geographic, age- and income-related disparities and contributing social determinants of health that impact breastfeeding rates and access to postpartum maternal care and supportive services (e.g., lactation consultant, doula support, registered dietitians)
6. Leverage of available evidence to meet the Healthy People Maternal, Infant, and Child Health (MICH) breastfeeding goals by 2030