Families in our community benefit from support. With rising expenses and uncertainties, growing a family can include many challenges. Thankfully there are organizations and individuals working locally to alleviate parents’ concerns about feeding their infants and children. The Santa Cruz County Breastfeeding Coalition works throughout the year to bring lactation professionals, community members, and organizations together to share information and advocate for increased breastfeeding support.
Breastfeeding is the biological norm for human infant feeding, but that does not mean it is always easily achieved or without challenges. When you add on beginning or returning to employment while breastfeeding, the roadblocks usually increase. The Breastfeeding Coalition and its community partners work to remove barriers so families can focus on caring for their babies. When families are able to breastfeed, they benefit from cost savings and positively impact their health.
National Breastfeeding Month And Awareness Weeks
August is National Breastfeeding Month in the United States. For the entire month, and for several weeks into September, each week focuses on a specific theme or group. It kicks off with World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), August 1-7, which is celebrated around the globe, and has been since 1992. WBW is hosted by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and you can read about the history of this event on their website at waba.org.my/wbw/#previous-wbws In the US, the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) coordinates National Breastfeeding Month, assigning themes and topics for multiple weeks. Those celebrations are:
- National WIC Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7)
- Indigenous Milk Medicine Week (August 8-14)
- Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Breastfeeding Week (August 15-21)
- Military Lactation Celebration (August 22-24)
- Black Breastfeeding Week (August 25-31)
- Workplace Lactation Week (September 1-7)
- Semana de la Lactancia Latina (September 8-14)
- Deaf & Hard of Hearing Breastfeeding Week (September 16-22)
Research shows that breastfeeding improves cognitive and immune system development and reduces obesity and many other chronic conditions for infants and children. It also protects maternal cardiovascular health and reduces the risk of several cancers for women who breastfeed. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization encourage breastfeeding for two years and beyond, alongside appropriate complementary foods.
Community Support And Resources
Fortunately, Santa Cruz families do not have to navigate breastfeeding alone. There is support and anticipatory guidance for prenatal women and new mothers from local doulas, midwives, nurses, and peer counselors to initiate and sustain breastfeeding. There are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants at several of our community clinics, our local hospitals, and the Community Bridges WIC Program, for when challenges arise. Breastfeeding Coalition members can also advise on options when new mothers return to work and want to continue to provide breast milk to their child(ren), and several organizations offer new mother support groups.
The Mothers’ Milk Bank California supports Santa Cruz County with events and promotion of banked human milk throughout the year. Donated breast milk provides a lifeline to families who are unable to breastfeed or need access to breast milk for a period of time before they can provide it themselves.
Upcoming Local Events
Members of the Breastfeeding Coalition come together in August to shine a spotlight on breastfeeding support. You are invited to join the Community Bridges WIC Program’s 19th Annual Breastfeeding Walk and Health Fair on Friday, Aug. 7, at 18 W. Lake Ave. in Watsonville from 3pm to 5pm. Come learn more about breastfeeding and other family services, tour the programs at Community Bridges, enter to win raffle prizes and more.
This year WIC is also showcasing its new food package, with even more healthy food options for families on a tight budget. Come taste test recipes with the new WIC foods. Each August, the Breastfeeding Coalition partners with the WIC Program to recognize local employers in Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties for providing support to employees who are breastfeeding. Lactation accommodation in the workplace, at schools, and in public spaces help our families continue to provide breast milk and protect their health.
You can find more information about many of the events going on in our area throughout National Breastfeeding Month on social media. The more support our families have available, the more our community can thrive.
By Erika Costanzo
