Contact:
Noelda Lopez, Public Information Specialist
Noelda.Lopez@flhealth.gov
Office: 352-589-6424, After Hours: 352-728-7662

Eustis, FL– The Florida Department of Health Lake County is celebrating World Breastfeeding Week from August 1 - 7, 2018. This year’s theme is Breastfeeding: Foundation of Life emphasizes that breastfeeding is the foundation of lifelong good health for babies and mother.

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from August 1^st through August 7^th in more than 170 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. With no additional burden on household income, breastfeeding is a low-cost way to feeding babies and contributes to poverty reduction. Nutrition, food security and poverty reduction are fundamental to achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

In celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, South Lake Hospital is hosting an Afternoon Tea Party on Wednesday, August 1, 2018 from 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm and Florida Hospital Waterman is hosting, Mommy and More Expo on Thursday, August 2, 2018 from 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm. The WIC Breastfeeding Team from Florida Department of Health in Lake County will be participating in both events. “The Department has partnered with local hospitals in encouraging and supporting mothers to breastfeed, which has resulted in achieving an increased WIC breastfeeding initiation rate in Lake County of 81.8%”, says Mary Stickney, Department of Health in Lake County WIC Director.

Local WIC agencies offer resources and staff to help breastfeeding mothers. WIC agencies may have International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants who have a high level of specialized
knowledge in breastfeeding to assist clients. WIC agencies also have Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Programs. The trained peer counselors are chosen from the same
socio/economic/ethnic groups as WIC clients and have successfully breastfed their own babies. Breastfeeding peer counselors provide mother-to-mother basic breastfeeding education and
support to pregnant and breastfeeding moms. For more information about the Florida WIC program call 1-800-342-3556 or visit www.FloridaWIC.org.

Healthiest Weight Florida within the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention, in partnership with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Healthy Start, and the Florida Child Care Food Program, has a variety of tools available for mothers and families, as well as employers, childcare facilities, and hospitals and health care professionals. Visit http://www.healthiestweightflorida.com/activities/breastfeeding.html for more information.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.