- Aug
- 27
- 2019
The benefits of breastfeeding and a supportive environment
This August, we are celebrating National Breastfeeding Month by sharing the benefits of breastfeeding and what we’re doing to support our breastfeeding team members.
Breastfeeding can aid in promoting the health of both mother and baby. In fact, for optimal benefit the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life with complementary foods introduced along with breast milk for a minimum of a year. For babies that are breastfed, the advantages include improved immunity and lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome, diabetes, obesity, asthma, allergies and childhood cancers. For mothers, breastfeeding not only aids in weight loss and recovery after childbirth, but also reduces the risk of certain types of cancers, heart disease and osteoporosis. (Source: American Academy of Pediatrics)
When mothers return to work, a supportive environment can directly impact how long they continue to breastfeed as well as support their emotional health. As part of our commitment to team member well-being, we’ve enhanced our lactation policy, dedicated mother’s rooms and provide 24/7 access to Northwell and community resources on our employee intranet. These initiatives, paired with leader and colleague support, truly help ease the transition back to work.
Ongoing efforts to support breastfeeding team members continue. As part of an initiative from New York State to increase the number of breastfeeding-friendly worksites, Cohen Children’s Medical Center received a grant from the Department of Health that will enable them to increase their efforts in becoming a breastfeeding-friendly hospital.
And the improvements started at CCMC have spread system-wide, including professional lactation support and an increased number of worksites with breastfeeding support groups, called “Baby Cafés.” At Southside Hospital, mothers and babies can now attend a free weekly Babe Café. The group is run by a board-certified lactation consultant and is a drop-in service that is open to the community. This is a great way to help mothers reach their breastfeeding goals, while finding both peer and professional support.
“Northwell has taken breastfeeding support on full steam,” says Wendi Andria, lactation coordinator at Southside Hospital. “And our dedication continues. In 2019 Northwell added nine new Mother’s Rooms within the health system and enhanced all existing spaces to better support our breastfeeding team members.”
Let’s all do our part as truly compassionate team members to support our breastfeeding colleagues. And if you’re a manager, lead the way by making sure your team members are aware of and have access to our resources. There are countless ways you can show your support. We’d love to hear some from you, so leave a comment below!
Related video: “Putting the well-being of mothers and babies first“