Information on the benefits of breast-feeding newborns, and tips on keeping them healthy, such as nutrition, child safety issues and immunizations, will be presented Aug. 10 in Everett, sponsored by the Snohomish Health District.
The event will include information from 10 area organizations, including Little Red Schoolhouse, La Leche League, Providence Mother’s Milk Depot and the Sudden Unexplained Infant Death Initiative.
The mother’s milk depot was launched at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett in April, part of a nationwide effort for lactating moms to donate spare milk. Since then, 13 mothers have donated 37.5 gallons of milk.
The milk is often provided to babies in neonatal intensive care units or for the babies of moms who are not producing milk.
Lactation consultants will be on hand at the Aug. 10 event to advise moms about breast-feeding.
“The most important thing is to allow the baby to breast-feed as soon as possible after birth, usually within the first hours,” said Joanne Burke, a manager and certificated lactation consultant at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett. “Babies’ instincts are very keen to seek out the breast,” she said.
Information also will be available on how moms and moms-to-be may qualify for the Women, Infants and Children, a supplemental nutrition program.
Women are eligible for the program if they are pregnant, a new mother, have a child younger than 4, meet income guidelines, and have a medical or nutrition need.
The Snohomish Health District is sponsoring the event to promote breast-feeding because it helps protect babies from a number of diseases. They include diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia. Breast-fed babies are also less likely to develop asthma and to become obese. The risk of sudden infant death syndrome is reduced in breast-fed babies.
Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486; salyer@heraldnet.com.
Learn more
A free event to provide information to parents and parents-to-be about breast-feeding is scheduled for 1:30-3:30 p.m. Aug. 10, in the at Snohomish Health District’s auditorium, 3020 Rucker Ave. in Everett.
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