Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s Birthing Center, the Windham County Breastfeeding Coalition, and the BMH Ten-Step Committee to Empower Mothers and Nurture Babies are joining forces to celebrate the 2014 World Breastfeeding Week during the first week of August.
This year’s theme, as established by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), is “Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal – for Life!”
According to WABA Chairperson Dr. Felicity Savage, “Breastfeeding has been shown repeatedly to be the single most effective way to prevent infant death; it plays a major role in children’s health and development, and significantly benefits the health of mothers.”
With this year’s theme in mind, and on the heels of the World Cup soccer games in Brazil, the BMH Ten-Step Committee to Empower Mothers and Nurture Babies will have a display board on exhibit outside the BMH cafeteria. The display will emphasize how the hospital and any individual can support and cheer on a breastfeeding mother.
In addition to the promotional display, the Windham County Breastfeeding Coalition will be hosting a party with the New Moms Network from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, August 6 in the BMH Tyler Conference Room. This event will provide an opportunity for new moms to recognize and acknowledge their local breastfeeding heroes, enjoy playful “booby cupcakes,” and create special nursing necklaces which are breastfeeding friendly (soft and nontoxic material).
BMH regularly cheers on breastfeeding in a variety of ways, including offering free breastfeeding classes and support groups; providing “golden hour” in the first hour of life by keeping the baby skin to skin with the mother if both are stable; providing 24-hour rooming as a standard of care; offering lactation consultants; and ensuring that all birthing staff are trained in lactation management.
More information is available at the WABA website at www.waba.org.my or by visiting BMH online www.bmhvt.org or calling 802-257-0341.
