August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month in South Dakota and this week is World Breastfeeding Week.
This year’s theme is “Support Breastfeeding for a Healthier Planet” as each ounce of mother’s milk counts toward a healthy environment, healthy body, healthy mind and healthy community.
Megan Hlavacek, State WIC Outreach & Breastfeeding Coordinator, says the health benefits for mom and baby increase proportionately with the length of time a mother breastfeeds. She says the longer a mother breastfeeds the greater the reduction in risk of infectious diseases, SIDS, ear infections, respiratory illness, childhood obesity and certain childhood cancers compared to formula-fed infants. For the mother, there’s a reduction in risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
Hlavacek says the South Dakota Breastfeeding-Friendly Business Pledge is one-way communities can show their support for breastfeeding mothers. Over 675 worksites across the state have taken the online pledge to support customers, visitors, clients and employees. All pledged businesses display a Breastfeeding Welcome Here window cling to visually show their support. Organizations can take the pledge at www.healthysd.gov/breastfeeding.
To learn more about breastfeeding, contact the Department of Health office in your county (https://doh.sd.gov/local-offices/child-family-services), or visit https://sdwic.org/.
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