During the week of Oct. 1-7, Prairie North Health Region will be participating in World Breastfeeding Week.
The aim of the campaign, according to a PNHR press release, is to promote and support breastfeeding through educating people about its benefits. In the release, PNHR states that "exclusively breastfed infants have a lower risk of chronic and acute illnesses" and it also benefits the health of the nursing mother by decreasing the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Breastfeeding also helps new mothers return to their normal weight before pregnancy.
In addition to the direct health benefits to both mother and child, PNHR also points to the sustainability of breastfeeding in terms of its lack of environmental effect. This year's World Breastfeeding Week's theme is the connection between breastfeeding and sustainability. As opposed to store-bought formula, which necessarily uses extra resources and creates waste, breastfeeding is natural and convenient, sanitary and economical.
PNHR says they hope to highlight the health benefits of breastfeeding to both mother and child and the public can play a part and help get the word out by talking to children and educating them at an early age that breastfeeding is a normal and natural way to feed a growing infant.
Breastfeeding is important and nursing mothers should be made to feel comfortable, PNHR states. PNHR has stickers available for businesses and workplaces with the slogan "Breastfeeding Welcome Here" to support this goal.
