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LAREDO, TX— The City of Laredo Health Department (CLHD) is proud to announce that Laredo, Texas joins in the celebration of Breastfeeding Awareness Week. This year’s theme is “Talk to me! Breastfeeding – a 3D Experience.” The theme deals with communication at various levels and between various sectors.  Breastfeeding (BF) remains one of the most highly effective preventive measures a mother can take to protect the health of her infant and herself. BF further protects babies from many infections and illnesses, such as diarrhea and pneumonia and children who have been breastfed also have lower rates of childhood obesity. Finally mothers who Breast feed have a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers.  Given the importance of breastfeeding, the Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin issued a “Call to Action” to Support BF which outlines steps that can be taken to remove some of the obstacles faced by women who want to breastfeed their babies.

The Affordable Care Act also includes a historic new insurance that will ensure millions of women receive preventive health services without a co-pay or deductible. These new guidelines require insurance companies to cover certain women’s preventive services, including breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling. In addition, the ACA amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 by having employers provide reasonable break time and a place, other than a restroom, that is private and clean for a mother to express milk. 

Why Breast Feed:

·        BF is the best way to provide nutrition to infants, and all women who can, should breastfeed.

·        All major health organizations agree that BF is the healthiest choice for babies. Breastfed infants have a decreased risk of several chronic diseases later in life (obesity, diabetes), and maternal child bonding is enhanced.

·        Formula feeding is associated with increased risk of some infectious diseases, ear infections.

·        Mothers who breastfeed their children experience many positive physical effects including decreased risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and osteoporosis while mothers who do not have higher rates of iron-deficiency anemia, ovarian and breast cancer.

·        Breast milk requires no resources to produce and leaves nothing in landfills and costs nothing.

 Join us for a proclamation and press conference Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at the Laredo Medical Center Community Center – 1^st Floor Tower B, 1700 E. Saunders, Laredo, Texas 78041.

For more information contact Monica Elguezabal at (956) 727-9253. For media inquiries please contact Zaida Gonzalez at (956) 795-4918