World Breastfeeding Week

Just in time for next week’s World Breastfeeding Week, we have this story from guest columnist Jenny Silverstone of MomLovesBest.com…

World Breastfeeding Week 2017: Working Together for the Common Good

Every year, August 1 – 7 marks the celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, and San Juan County is proud to support and participate in this event.

The theme for World Breastfeeding Week 2017 (www.worldbreastfeeding.org) is “working together for the common good.” San Juan County is an excellent example of how community resources and professional health organizations can work together collaboratively to promote, and support breastfeeding. Resources available to San Juan residents include newborn outreach programs, breastfeeding education, and lactation support counselors available by phone, private home visits, and clinic appointments. San Juan County Health & Community Services place this as a priority because the benefits extend beyond the health of the baby, to include maternal health and society as a whole.

For the 25th anniversary of World Breastfeeding Week, we’ve compiled the highlights of benefits derived from breastfeeding, for baby, mom and the community as a whole, courtesy of the infographic from Mom Loves Best.

The most obvious beneficiary of the decision to breastfeed is the newborn baby, especially during phases of growth. Children grow so quickly, and all that growth requires lots of nutrition to support it. Breast milk is an ideal source for baby to receive a tailored mix of fats, proteins, vitamins and antibodies – everything they need, and very little that they don’t need! The composition changes to meet their needs as they grow. Breast milk can even help their little bodies fight off infection, bacteria and prevent everything from the common cold to more serious diseases and health concerns. Breastfeeding is a wonderful way to give a growing baby the firm foundation for a healthy life, not just as children but also as adults later in life.

It may come as a surprise to some, but the benefits of breastfeeding are not just for baby, but also for mom. Research has shown that breastfeeding lowers the risk of diseases such as lupus, diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis in mothers. Breastfeeding has also been linked to faster post-partum weight loss, quicker uterine toning, contraception – and probably best of all for a sleep deprived mom, better sleep patterns in babies.

When communities like San Juan and professional health organizations support breastfeeding moms, the support extends to our society as a whole. Resources like those available in San Juan are just some of the ways to make it easier for moms to breastfeed their babies. The benefits range from lower medical expenses, and less landfill waste from packaging to fewer childhood illnesses and sick days taken by both mom and child.

These reasons and many more detailed below are why community leaders in San Juan feel that it is so important to rally around new moms to provide them with support, access to information and resources to make breastfeeding as easy as possible. To access resources, and breastfeeding information and support, contact San Juan County Health & Community Services (378-4474). Breastfeeding assistance is available by phone, home visits and clinic appointments on San Juan, Lopez and Orcas Islands.

About the Author
This post was written by Jenny Silverstone. Jenny is the mother of two, a writer and a breastfeeding advocate. On her website MomLovesBest.com, she helps educate mothers about the importance of breastfeeding, as well as how to overcome common breastfeeding struggles.

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