Cook County Celebrates Breastfeeding Awareness Week

Cook's Department of Public Health (CCDPH) is encouraging county hospitals with maternity wards to participate in World Breastfeeding Week, according to a statement released Monday.

The CCDPH has joined forces with HealthConnect One and Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to promote the benefits of breastfeeding. 

“Breastfeeding provides improved immunity, reduces childhood infections, and lowers childhood obesity by 22 percent,” said Stephen A. Martin, Jr., Ph.D., MPH, chief operating officer, CCDPH, in the statement. “Increasing breastfeeding education and the number of Baby Friendly hospitals can have an impact on generations to come.”

To encourage access to breastfeeding services, the trio is assisting healthcare facilities to "implement Baby-Friendly steps."

The initiative revolves around the following 10 tips:

1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth.
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they are separated from their infants.
6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated.
7. Practice “rooming in”-- allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
9. Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

Stay tuned to Patch for more on World Breastfeeding Awareness week. And don't forget to join the discussion on our Reader Poll.