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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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World Breastfeeding Week 2015

July 30, 2015


The Florida Department of Health in Bay County will host a Big Latch On event sponsored by Breastfeed Bay: The Breastfeeding Task Force of Bay County and surrounding areas on August 1st 9:30 am to 12:00 pm at the A.D. Harris Learning Village, 819 East 11th Street, Panama City. The Big Latch On will take place at 10:30 am when multiple worldwide locations will attempt to set the world record for the most babies breastfeeding at the same time.  Information, local support resources and door prizes will also be available.

The Big Latch On celebration coincides with World Breastfeeding Week which will be observed August 1-7. The 2015 World Breastfeeding Week theme Breastfeeding and Work: Let’s Make it Work! acknowledges that breastfeeding has many benefits for mom and baby, but sometimes returning to the workplace or school can be an adjustment for both. At the workplace level there have been actions taken to set up breastfeeding friendly workplaces over the years. The Affordable Health Care Act supports work-based efforts to assist a nursing mother and the Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to provide break time and space for a covered nonexempt nursing mother to express breast milk for her nursing child for one year after the child’s birth. 

Infant feeding is one of the most important decisions a family can make and most women who choose to breastfeed have specific goals in mind. Research shows that babies who receive only breast milk for the first six months of life are less likely to develop a wide range of chronic and acute diseases, including ear infections, diarrheal diseases, asthma, obesity, and respiratory illnesses. Mothers also benefit from breastfeeding with a decreased risk for breast and ovarian cancers.

To learn more about the World Breastfeeding Week Celebration and Latch On, contact the Florida Department of Health in Bay County WIC Office at (850)747-5775 or the Healthy Start Office at (850)872-4455 ext. 1193.

 


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