NOTE: The Volusia County Health Department has a local breastfeeding expert available for interviews. Call Stefany Strong at 386-274-0838.

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Health (DOH) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) celebrate August 1-7 as World Breastfeeding Week 2008.

In conjunction with the 2008 Olympics, this year’s theme is “Mother Support: Going for the Gold.” Through this message, World Breastfeeding Week advocates call for increased support to breastfeeding mothers so that these mothers can provide a golden start for their children. Just as an Olympic athlete needs support from family, friends and coaches to succeed, the breastfeeding mother also needs the support and encouragement of family, friends, the healthcare system, workplace, government policies and legislation, so that she will have the confidence, correct information and tools to breastfeed her child successfully.

Breastfeeding’s positive effects provide critical health benefits to both the mother and her breastfed baby, while saving healthcare dollars. Mounting evidence demonstrates that breastfeeding exclusivity and duration contribute to significantly better health outcomes for infants, children and mothers.

For infants and children, exclusive breastfeeding significantly reduces the risk of conditions such as:

  • Acute otitis media (ear infections)
  • Asthma
  • Obesity
  • Type 1 and 2 diabetes
  • Childhood leukemia
  • Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

For women, breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of conditions such as:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Postpartum depression

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of life. They also recommend that mothers continue breastfeeding, with the addition of appropriate complementary foods until at least the baby’s first birthday.

 The Florida WIC and Nutrition Services Public Health Program actively promotes and supports breastfeeding. Local WIC agencies offer resources and staff to help breastfeeding mothers. Many local WIC agencies have International Board Certified Lactation Consultants with a specialized knowledge of breastfeeding. Some agencies also provide peer counselors. These women, chosen from the same socio/economic/ethnic group as WIC clients, have successfully breastfed their own babies and received training to support other moms.

DOH promotes, protects and improves the health of all people in Florida. For more information about the Florida WIC program, call 1-800-342-4556 or visit www.FloridaWIC.org. To learn about breastfeeding, visit www.lalecheleague.org www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/index.cfm?page=home or the African-American Breastfeeding Alliance’s website at www.aabaonline.com.