World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from August 1st through August 7th in more than 170 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. With no additional burden on household income, breastfeeding is a low-cost way to feeding babies and contributes to poverty reduction. Nutrition, food security and poverty reduction are fundamental to achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
In celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, South Lake Hospital is hosting an Afternoon Tea Party on Wednesday, August 1, from 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm and Florida Hospital Waterman is hosting, Mommy and More Expo on Thursday, August 2, from 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm. The
WIC Breastfeeding Team from Florida Department of Health in Lake County will be participating in both events. “The Department has partnered with local hospitals in encouraging and supporting mothers to breastfeed, which has resulted in achieving an increased WIC breastfeeding initiation rate in Lake County of 81.8%”, says Mary Stickney, Department of Health in Lake County WIC Director.
Local WIC agencies offer resources and staff to help breastfeeding mothers. WIC agencies may have International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants who have a high level of specialized knowledge in breastfeeding to assist clients. WIC agencies also have Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Programs. The trained peer counselors are chosen from the same socio/economic/ethnic groups as WIC clients and have successfully breastfed their own babies.
Breastfeeding peer counselors provide mother-to-mother basic breastfeeding education and support to pregnant and breastfeeding moms. For more information about the Florida WIC program call 1-800-342-3556 or visit www.FloridaWIC.org.
Healthiest Weight Florida within the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention, in partnership with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Healthy Start, and the Florida Child Care Food Program, has a variety of tools available for mothers and families, as well as employers, childcare facilities, and hospitals and health care professionals.
Visit http://www.healthiestweightflorida.com/activities/breastfeeding.html for more information
