Archbold Maternity Center Recognizes World Breastfeeding Week
Many parents bottle-feed their babies. But experts say breastmilk sets the tone for a healthy lifestyle for your little one right from the start.
August 1-7 is recognized as World Breastfeeding Week, a time to promote the importance of breastfeeding and how it relates to long-term health benefits.
“Breastmilk provides your baby with all the nutrients he or she needs,” said Archbold nurse and international board certified lactation consultant Jessica White, RN .
Along with supplying top-of-the-line nutrition, studies show breast milk helps protect your baby from certain infections and lifelong medical conditions including asthma, leukemia, ear infections, eczema, diarrhea and vomiting, lower respiratory infections, necrotizing enterocolitis, sudden infant death syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. Studies also show breastfed babies are much less likely to become obese.
Breastfeeding provides many benefits for the new mother’s health, too.
Among other things, it may reduce the risk for breast and ovarian cancer, as well as type 2 diabetes, and may also help mothers lose some pregnancy-related pounds.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most mothers want to breastfeed, but stop early due to a lack of ongoing support.
“Making the decision to breastfeed and some aspects of learning how to breastfeed can be daunting for new mothers,” said White. “That’s why we work with our patients and provide education on breastfeeding, even before they give birth. We also help develop feeding plans, provide support and assistance while mom and baby are in the hospital, and even after they return home. We also offer breastfeeding support groups, so new moms can connect with others that are having the same experiences and challenges. The breastfeeding support we provide through the Archbold Maternity Center is really important and helpful for new moms and their babies.”
For more information on lactation services at Archbold, call (229) 584-7340.
Archbold’s board certified lactation consultant Jessica White, RN, helps develop feeding plans for new mothers, provides support and assistance while mom and baby are in the hospital, and even after they return home.