Logan County Health Department celebrates World Breastfeeding Week

The Logan County Health Department joins the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) in promoting the annual World Breastfeeding Week August 1–7, with the theme Breastfeeding: Building a Brighter Future. This year’s theme focuses on how breastfeeding today can impact the future health of families and the environment for generations to come.

The benefits of breastfeeding extend through infancy and childhood and even into adulthood. Studies have shown that breastfeeding provides children with the nutrients they need to help with development and building a strong immune system. Breastfeeding not only provides nutrition for the baby but has long-lasting positive effects for the mother as well.

The Logan County Health Department will be providing information to promote the benefits of breastfeeding and improve the overall health of both the newborn children and their mothers. Based on the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data from 2013, 82.7 percent of Oklahoma mothers began breastfeeding their children after birth. While most new mothers start out breastfeeding, many Oklahoma mothers do not exclusively breastfeed for six months or continue for up to two years of age as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

“We want to help in building a brighter future for all Oklahomans so we are encouraging all of our new mothers to breastfeed their babies for as long as possible,” said  the Logan County Health Department administrative health director Jay Smith.  “Their ability to provide these nutrients to their babies is crucial for a healthy start.”

Data provided in The Oklahoma Toddler Survey (TOTS) from 2014 indicates that although the numbers are improving, only 34 percent of mothers were breastfeeding at six months and 17 percent of mothers were breastfeeding at 12 months or more. This does not meet the Healthy People 2020 Breastfeeding Objectives aimed to increase the proportion of infants who are breastfed at six months to 60.6 percent and at one year to 34.1 percent.

“Breastfeeding not only provides nutrition for the baby but has long-lasting positive effects for the mother as well,” says Rosanne Smith, breastfeeding coordinator, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Service. “By supporting mothers throughout their breastfeeding journey, each of us has the opportunity to build a brighter future.”

For breastfeeding support and information, call the Oklahoma Breastfeeding Hotline toll free at 1-877-271-MILK (6455) or visit the Oklahoma breastfeeding website at http://bis.health.ok.gov.