*** Last Updated November 11, 2008 *** Please see the notes for each branch of the U.S. military. If you have notice of updates to military breastfeeding regulations and policies, please alert me with a comment and I will be happy to keep this information up to date!
A military new mother generally receives six weeks of maternity leave starting the day she leaves the hospital. The leave can be extended upon written request along with a physician’s recommendation.
Air Force: The Air Force offers four-month deployment deferrals after the birth of a child. On May 23, 2007, Air Force Instruction …read more

Was anyone else saddened to read about the prison sentence for Olympic athlete and breastfeeding mother Marion Jones? I certainly do not condone doping, lying, or the breaking of any law, and I don’t think she should escape punishment in some form. But I cried, thinking of the nursling, as I read this article in the LA Times:
“I absolutely realize the gravity of the offenses I’ve committed, and I am deeply sorry,” [Jones] said. She began to cry as she pleaded with the judge to not separate her from her 4-year-old son and 7-month-old baby, whom she is still nursing.
The …read more