Health Department Promotes Breastfeeding
Facebook LIVE video features Breastfeeding Peer Counselors on Tuesday, August 7 at noon
Lake County, Ill. — World Breastfeeding Week is
August 1-7 and the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center is
celebrating with the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) theme
“Breastfeeding: Foundation of Life.” Illinois
Governor Bruce Rauner has also declared August 2018 as Breastfeeding Promotion
Month in Illinois.
“We want Lake County mothers
to know that breastfeeding is a healthy choice for you and your baby,” said
Mark Pfister, Health Department Executive Director. “Breastfeeding support
services are important to help promote good nutrition and food security for
infants.”
With no additional burden on
the household income, breastfeeding is a low cost way of feeding babies and
contributing to lifelong health. You can find more information at www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org.
The Lake County Health
Department’s WIC program has four Breastfeeding Peer Counselors available at
five locations throughout the county, including Waukegan, North Chicago, Zion,
Round Lake Beach, and Highland Park.
On Tuesday, August 7 at noon,
the Health Department will host a live interview with its Breastfeeding Peer
Counselors on its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/HealthDepartment).
Additionally, the Health Department has invited WIC moms who have breastfed or
are currently breastfeeding to submit a photo of themselves with their infant
or child. The photos will be on display at each Lake County WIC location to
celebrate breastfeeding month.
WIC mothers are strongly
encouraged to breastfeed their infants unless there is a medical reason not to.
Health experts recommend exclusive breastfeeding (nothing but breast milk) for
six months and continued breastfeeding after a baby begins solid food up to age
one or two. Human milk is full of antibodies that help protect babies from many
diseases, including ear infections, respiratory infections, diarrhea,
allergies, leukemia and diabetes.
Breastfeeding can even help
mothers reduce their risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes and heart
disease.
In June of 2018, 82.3 percent
of pregnant women enrolled in the Health Department’s WIC program initiated
breastfeeding and 20.3 percent were exclusively breastfeeding at 3 months.
As part of The Healthy People
2020 Breastfeeding Goals for the Nation, Illinois continues to work with
community partners to increase breastfeeding at 3 months to 46.2% and to
increase the number of babies born at hospitals that provide recommended care
for breastfeeding moms and their babies. The establishment of the Human Donor
Milk Bank and local depots across the state ensures all infants have access to
breastmilk.
To make an appointment with
WIC, or for more support and information about breastfeeding, call (847) 377-8420.
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