Colorado Breastfeeding Law
In Colorado a mother may breastfeed in any place
she has a right to be.
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SUMMARY OF ENACTED BREASTFEEDING LEGISLATION
COLORADO
Effective April 23, 2004, Colorado protected a woman’s right to breastfeed anywhere she has the right to be. A
lengthy preamble section set forth support for breastfeeding.
C.R.S.25-6-302. Breastfeeding.
A mother may breastfeed in any place she has a right to be.
C.R.S. 25-6-301. Legislative declaration.
(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:
(a) The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of an
infant's life but continuing with other forms of nutrition for at least the first twelve months of an infant's life and
as long thereafter as is mutually desired.
(b) The American Academy of Pediatrics has continuously endorsed breastfeeding as the optimal form of
nutrition for infants and as a foundation for good feeding practices. Extensive research indicates that there
are diverse and compelling advantages to breastfeeding for infants, mothers, families, and society.
(c) Epidemiologic research shows that breastfeeding of infants provides benefits to their general health,
growth, and development and results in significant decreases in risk for numerous acute and chronic diseases.
(d) Research in developed countries provides strong evidence that breastfeeding decreases the incidence
and severity of diarrhea, lower respiratory infection, otitis media, and urinary tract infection.
(e) Research studies have also shown that human milk and breastfeeding have possible protective effects
against the development of a number of chronic diseases, including allergic diseases and some chronic
digestive diseases. In addition, human milk and breastfeeding may prevent obesity.
(f) In addition, breastfeeding has been related to the possible enhancement of cognitive development.
(g) Breastfeeding has been shown to have numerous health benefits for mothers, including an earlier return to
prepregnant weight, delayed resumption of ovulation with increased child spacing, improved bone
remineralization postpartum with reduction in hip fractures in the postmenopausal period, and reduced risk of
ovarian cancer and premenopausal breast cancer, as well as increased levels of oxytocin, resulting in less
postpartum bleeding and more rapid uterine involution.
(h) In addition to individual health benefits, breastfeeding results in substantial benefits to society, including
reduced health care costs, reduced environmental damage, reduced governmental spending on the women,
infants, and children supplementary feeding programs, and reduced employee absenteeism for care
attributable to infant illness.
(i) Breastfeeding is a basic and important act of nurturing that should be encouraged in the interests of
maternal and infant health.
(2) The general assembly further declares that the purpose of this part 3 is for the state of Colorado to
become involved in the national movement to recognize the medical importance of breastfeeding, within the
scope of complete pediatric care, and to encourage removal of societal boundaries placed on breastfeeding in
public.
