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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The North Dakota Department of Health, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, recognized 15 North Dakota businesses as “Infant Friendly” in the past year, according to BriAnna Wanner, Maternal and Child Health Nutritionist for the North Dakota Department of Health.
Employers can apply for this designation if they adopt a policy that supports nursing mothers in the workplace. Both Jamestown Regional Medical Center and Valley City School District are two businesses that have designated themselves as infant-friendly last year.
Businesses interested in joining the list of recognized organizations can find resources for supporting their employees and the simple application at http://ndhealth.gov/breastfeeding.
The designation of these businesses coincides with Governor Jack Dalyrmple’s proclamation of Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7, 2013. This week is the global celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, an annual event that draw attention to the health impacts of breastfeeding for both babies and mothers. The theme this year is “Breastfeeding Support, Close to Mothers”, which draws attention to the importance of peer support in helping mothers establish and sustain breastfeeding.
“Even when mothers are able to get off to a good start, all too often in the weeks or months after delivery there is a sharp decline in breastfeeding rates,” said Wanner. “The period when mothers do not visit a health-care facility is the time when a community support system for mothers is essential.”
According to research published in Obstetrics & Gynecology, if new moms adhered to the recommended guidelines that urge them to breastfeed each child they give birth to for at least one year, they could theoretically prevent up to 5,000 cases of breast cancer, about 54,000 cases of hypertension and nearly 14,000 heart attacks annually.Averting those diseases could save $860 million.
For more information about the infant friendly designation or Breastfeeding Week in North Dakota, contact BriAnn Wanner, North Dakota Department of Health, at 701-328-4529.