Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week With St V’s

BRIDGEPORT -—St Vincent’s Family Birthing Center and the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Nutrition Program of Bridgeport invite all interested mothers and their families to join them at the Beardsley Park Zoo on Saturday, August 2, at 10 am, to help celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, August 1–7.

Festivities include access to zoo exhibits and free musical entertainment for babies and young children provided by Music Together, as well as face painting and information made available by WIC, according to Jennifer Matranga, RN, lactation consultant at St Vincent’s and member at large of the Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition.

The coalition is a group convened by the Department of Public Health.

Those who wish to participate can arrive at the zoo any time after 10 am. Free admission will be granted to those mothers who wear a gold ribbon of any kind symbolizing breast milk as the gold standard in infant feeding.

The gold standard involves breastfeeding exclusively for six months, and providing appropriate complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond. Entertainment will be provided at 11:30 am at the Pavilion.

The purpose of World Breastfeeding Week and the monthlong recognition is to raise awareness of the numerous medical benefits breastfeeding provides for both mother and child. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life and then up to one year with the inclusion of family foods.

This year’s World Breastfeeding Week theme is Mother Support: Going for the Gold, a reflection of the 2008 Olympics. The week will call for greater support for mothers in achieving the gold standard of infant feeding. As the best athletes go to compete this August, it is important to remind ourselves that, in a similar fashion, a healthy young athlete can only emerge from a healthy start on life.

There is no question that optimal infant and young child feeding is essential for optimal growth and development.

Laurie Mastrone, RN, also a lactation consultant at St Vincent’s and a member of the Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition, said it is well documented that breastfeeding provides protection against acute infectious diseases, including ear infections, respiratory infections, pneumonia, bowel infections, and meningitis.

“Because of the antibodies contained in the mother’s milk, there is a significant reduction in the incidence and severity of infections. Evidence also exists for improved cognitive function, and protection against autoimmune disease, obesity, and certain cancers,” said Ms Mastrone. “Benefits to the mother include reduced risk of ovarian and breast cancer, type II diabetes, and osteoporosis. It is estimated that $3.9 billion would be saved annually if babies were breastfed at least the first six months. This is just the savings reflected in health care costs for ear infections, diarrhea, and pneumonia.”

Ms Mastrone and Jennifer Matranga RN, IBCLC, both offer support to breastfeeding mothers, working to educate them about the benefits of breastfeeding and making good choices. St Vincent’s offers breastfeeding preparation classes, and inpatient and outpatient support to mothers and babies. The medical center also offers a breast pump rental service and a breastfeeding supplies store where mothers can get the equipment they need to successfully breastfeed their babies.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, better known as the WIC Program, serves to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk. It provides nutritious food to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care agencies. Included in its target population are pregnant women, and breastfeeding women up to baby’s first birthday.

For more information about the zoo celebration, contact Lactation Services at St Vincent’s Medical Center at 203-576-6087.