THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN LAKE COUNTY TO CELEBRATE WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK 

 
Lake County – The Florida Department of Health in Lake County (DOH-Lake) Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program will celebrate World Breastfeeding Week observed August 1-7.  This year’s theme is: “Breastfeeding & Work: Let’s Make it Work!,” which is targeted to encourage and support employees who are breastfeeding in the workplace. 
 
As part of our celebration, DOH-Lake WIC will be hosting a World Breastfeeding Week Event to support breastfeeding in our community.   This event will be held at the Leesburg WIC office located on 1904 Griffin Road on August 4, 2015 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. All prenatal women, breastfeeding women and their families are invited to support breastfeeding in our community.
 
“Supporting your employee in breastfeeding her baby ensures a happy and productive employee with less absenteeism, since breastfed babies get sick less often.  In addition, breastfed babies often have a decreased risk in obesity, type 2 diabetes and asthma,” said Mary Stickney, Public Health Nutrition Program Director with the Florida Department of Health in Lake County.
 
As per the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), these are benefits of taking measures to protect motherhood at the workplace:
 

• Mothers and babies are healthier, happier, more rested, and less stressed leading to improved long and short term health.
• The entire family benefits from the protection a woman receives in job security, cash and medical benefits and peace of mind to be with her newborn and to recuperate.
• Fathers and partners benefit from being equal partners in parenting and sharing parental and paternity leaves.
• Babies are sick less often, so families, businesses and nations save on healthcare costs, with lower morbidity and mortality rates.

 
WIC provides nutritious foods to qualified participants, as well as nutrition education and counseling, screening, and referrals to other health and social services.  In addition, breastfeeding support group meetings are held each month to help pregnant women, as well as, women who are currently breastfeeding their baby. The support group meetings, which are free and open to the public, are held the 4^th Tuesday, at 10 am, at the following WIC offices:
   
For more information regarding the event or monthly support group meetings, please contact Jennifer Bacon, Certified Lactation Counselor and Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Coordinator for the DOH-Lake WIC Program at 352-771-5563.
   
The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.
 
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