Kane Co. Board proclaims August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month

The Kane County Board on Tuesday proclaimed August to be Breastfeeding Awareness Month. The action highlights the importance of breastfeeding for giving a good nutritional start in life for infants.

To coincide with the proclamation, the Kane County Breastfeeding Coalition is releasing the Infant Feeding Survey Report, a survey of Kane County pregnant women designed to explore their needs and experience of education and support in deciding how they will feed their newborns. Visit kanehealth.com/breastfeeding.htm to read the report.

The coalition is comprised of members from diverse aspects of the community, including the local hospitals, community health centers, WIC Programs, Kane County Health Department, private lactation consultants and community groups that promote breastfeeding.

The Kane County Breastfeeding Coalition works to engage community members to improve public health by providing breastfeeding information and support to new and expectant parents. The coalition provides information during pregnancy in order to allow parents to make informed choices about breastfeeding. The coalition then supports that choice as soon as the baby is born.

The coalition involved local mothers in spreading awareness by joining the international Big Latch On held in three Kane County locations on Aug. 5-6: Advocate Sherman Hospital, VNA Health Care and Northwestern Delnor Hospital. About 200 people gathered at these three events, including moms, dads, children, and volunteers to recognize breastfeeding as a great way to give infants a healthy start to life. Call (630) 264-7653 for more information.