August is breastfeeding promotion month

The state of Illinois recognizes August as Breastfeeding Promotion Month, and nationally, World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated Aug. 1-7.

The 2023 theme is Enabling Breastfeeding: Making a Difference for Working Parents, which is bringing focus to breastfeeding and working parents and how individuals and organizations can protect, promote, and support breastfeeding in the work environment.

La Salle County Health Department along with medical authorities, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists support and encourage all new mothers to embrace breastfeeding as the preferred method of infant feeding for the first year of life. Illinois’ breastfeeding innitiative helps focus on the lifelong benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and infant. Research is clear breastfeeding is the optimal nutrition and the perfect life-sustaining food for babies, the health department said. Breastfeeding provides both nutritional and non-nutritional benefits to the infant and mother.

Breast milk is the basic foundation for infant nutrition for the first year of life, the health department said. It also provides many benefits to the mother as well by helping to protect against breast and ovarian cancers, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and weak bones later in life. Another benefit is it also helps the mother get to her pre-pregnancy shape faster.

Breastfeeding allows mother and baby to get closer, physically and emotionally, the health department said. So while a child is feeding, the bond between the two of them can grow stronger. All the while the mother will be helping to protect her baby from medical conditions from mild to severe, such as ear infections, gastro-intestinal problems, to childhood cancers and many other conditions. According to the AAP breastfeeding is associated with a reduction in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Babies are born expecting to breastfeed.

There is a “learning curve” for mother and baby as they initiate breastfeeding, the health department said. This is a key opportunity for friends and family to provide support to the new mom. Expert professional support and education is also available if needed.

Practice the ABC’s of Breastfeeding.

A – Awareness to when your baby is showing signs of needing to feed and responding to those cues. B – Be patient and allow your baby to guide you on the journey in the early days of breastfeeding. Unlike formula feeding which is typically more scheduled, breastfeeding is driven by the babys demand. C – Comfort. The more comfortable and relaxed the mom is, the more enjoyable feedings will be.

Breastfeeding for any amount of time benefits both mothers and babies. For more information on breastfeeding, contact the La Salle County Health Department at 815-433-3366.