Beardsley Zoo, St Vincent’s Team Up On Breastfeeding Awareness

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 Saturday, August 4, 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 The Little Gym of Fairfield, according to Jennifer Matrenga, RN, lactation consultant at St Vincent’s and chair of the Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition. The coalition is a group convened by the Department of Public Health.

Those who wish to participate should meet at the pavilion in the zoo at 10 am.

Free admission will be granted to those who wear a gold ribbon of any kind symbolizing breast milk as the gold standard in infant feeding.

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 to one year with the inclusion of family foods.

This year’s theme for World Breast Feeding Week is Breastfeeding: The First Hour Save One. Initiation of breastfeeding within an hour of birth is the first and most vital step to reduce infant and under-5 mortality, according to Ms Matrenga.

“The goal is to save one million babies with one action, one hour support, and one message,” said Ms Matrenga. Recognizing that breastfeeding is both a vital public health and economic issue, the United States joined with 118 other nations in ratifying the Code in 1981. Last year Governor Jodi Rell signed a proclamation announcing August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month in Connecticut.

Laurie Mastrone, RN, also a lactation consultant at St Vincent’s, 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,” she added. “Evidence also exists for improved cognitive function, and protection against autoimmune disease, obesity, and certain cancers. 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 Ms Matrenga 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.