Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week and Illinois Breastfeeding Promotion Month

From the Peoria Health Department:

Join Peoria City/County Health Department in celebrating World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7, 2011, as well as August Breastfeeding Promotion Month in Illinois. The celebration is designed to raise breastfeeding awareness and highlight the collective efforts in our area and around the world to protect, support and promote breastfeeding.

In recognition of this important observance, the Health Department is participating in a breastfeeding week celebration at Tower Park in Peoria Heights on August 3 from 4pm-7pm. The event is sponsored by the Central Illinois Breastfeeding Task Force.

Breastfeeding is healthier for both mom and baby, saves money, and is the natural way to feed babies. Breastfeeding reduces the lifetime risk of obesity, an important issue for our community. Breastfed babies also receive some protection against infections, asthma, allergies, and childhood cancers. Mothers who breastfed have a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Breastfeeding also strengthens the special bond between mother and baby. An added advantage for breastfeeding is the reduction in costs of infant feeding and for illness care for both families and for the community.

Newly established national goals aim to increase breastfeeding to over 80% by 2020. These goals also focus on increasing support for  working mothers who are breastfeeding their babies. Federal Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs in the Peoria area reveal only 52% of women breastfed last year.

To support these national goals, the Peoria City/County Health Department's WIC program has a peer breastfeeding counselor, nurses, and nutritionists with specialized training in supporting mothers in successfully breastfeeding their infants. This team of committed professionals provide information, counseling, and support to help babies and moms receive the health benefits that breastfeeding can provide.

For more information about Public Health issues call the Peoria City/County Health Department at 679-6600 or visit our website at www.pcchd.org.

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