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Utah County designates August as Breastfeeding Month; commissioners cite support and resources
Summary
The commission adopted a resolution designating August as Utah County Breastfeeding Month, amended to use the terms 'breastfeeding' and 'mother,' and cited county breastfeeding statistics and existing lactation facilities and policies for county employees.
The Utah County Commission voted to adopt a resolution designating August as Utah County Breastfeeding Month and to support policies that increase access to lactation resources and employer accommodations.
The sponsor amended the draft to substitute the terms "breastfeeding" and "mother" in several clauses. The resolution notes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data and states Utah County's breastfeeding rate exceeded the state average, citing a 90.5 percent "ever breastfed" rate for county infants born in 2019. The sponsor said normalizing breastfeeding and improving access to lactation support can address health disparities and food security for infants.
The resolution lists actions the county supports, including policies and funding to ensure that lactating mothers can access support from health care, insurers, employers and early care providers. Commissioners also noted that county workplace policy and facilities have been updated in recent years to provide dedicated lactation rooms on multiple county campuses and that policy allows flexible break time when needed.
A commissioner moved to approve the resolution with the proposed language changes; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. The resolution names Commissioners Brandon Gordon, Tom Sakovich and William Powers Gardner in its text as part of the county's official adoption.
