Breastfeeding disparities persist, despite the goals set forth in the Surgeon General’s
Blueprint for Action on Breastfeeding and the US Breastfeeding Committee’s Blueprint
for Continuity of Care in Breastfeeding Support. Various studies have demonstrated that
a major barrier to breastfeeding, further contributing to these disparities, is the lack of
physician’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes about breastfeeding.
In 2012 a trademarked model, designed to improve community health outcomes by
supporting and promoting breastfeeding, was founded. This model, nationally known as
Baby Café USA (BCUSA), focuses on delivering a standard of professional care to the
community which breastfeeding families can depend on; it is an inexpensive,
imaginative, and accessible way of delivering healthcare while efficiently utilizing
community resources.
BCUSA is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that coordinates a network of licensed
Baby Cafes. These cafes offer FREE, drop-in, breastfeeding support and access to
various community resources in a relaxed coffee-shop like atmosphere.
State funding was sought to pilot-test The Cooper-Camden Baby Café (CCBC) as the
first licensed network in the state of New Jersey located in the underserved community
of Camden. Pediatric faculty were contacted to develop a novel model involving a
medical school, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU), the funded non-
profit entity to enrich medical student service-learning.
CMSRU already had a model of medical student service-learning and received the
distinguished 2009 Spencer Foreman Award for Outstanding Community Engagement.
The Baby Café aligned with their motto: “Camden is our classroom; Camden is our
home.” This opportunity will enable students to assist with Café operations while
learning about breastfeeding medicine. Dr. Lori Feldman-Winter, Professor of Pediatrics
at CMSRU and co-Founder of CCBC, will oversee the service-learning components of
the Baby Café to ensure goals and objectives are met
The Café is staffed and co-Founded by a bilingual international board-certified lactation
consultant (IBCLC), Sindy Ferreira, MPH, IBCLC. Breastfeeding families can expect to
receive one-on-one support, informal breastfeeding education, peer support from other
breastfeeding families, access to a digital scale for weighing their babies, healthy
snacks, refreshments, and a welcoming atmosphere. All drop-in hours are hosted every
Thursday, noon-2pm, in a space generously donated by the Ferry Avenue branch of
Camden County Library Systems. In the same block, a designated librarian will be
conducting story time segments, during café drop-in hours, for accompanying siblings.
Service-Learning Goals and Objectives: (incluir en una seccion separada)

The goals of this program are to provide a forum for medical students: (1) To support
breastfeeding at a Camden-based Baby Café (2) To assist with community building
activities by connecting mothers to mothers in support groups offered at the Cooper
Camden Baby Café (3) To collect information that informs health care professionals
about factors that facilitate or impede breastfeeding in the community. Learning
objectives include (1) becoming knowledgeable breastfeeding counselors (2) acquiring
skills to conduct support groups and facilitate peer to peer community building (3)
develop competencies in solving common breastfeeding concerns, suggesting effective
techniques, and identifying issues that require referral specialized cares. CMSRU
students will also participate by assisting with fund raising activities, collecting donations
for new mothers in Camden.

Cooper Camden Baby Café in the News:
https://www.phillyvoice.com/baby-cafe-camden-new-jersey-free-breastfeeding-support-center-library/
https://patch.com/new-jersey/haddon/njs-1st-baby-caf-opens-camden-supporting-breastfeeding-parents
https://cmsru.rowan.edu/blog/2025/baby-cafe-launch.html
https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/breastfeeding-support-at-njs-first-baby-cafe/
https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/video/cooper-camden-baby-cafe-opens-in-new-jersey-with-the-goal-to-promote-breastfeeding/
https://thewhitonline.com/78302/features/cooper-medical-school-of-rowan-university-presents-baby-cafe-for-breastfeeding-mothers/

Registration Link:
bit.ly/cooperbabycafe
Session hours and Location:
Register or Drop-in every Thursday from 12:00pm-2:00pm
Ferry Ave. Library: 852 Ferry Ave, Camden, NJ 08104