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The Family Friendly Business Initiative is spreading across Iowa and the Iowa Breastfeeding Coalition (IBC) is offering to assist interested coalitions or communities. The goal of the initiative is to make it easier for mothers to nurse their little ones when they are out shopping. This project provides an opportunity to educate businesses and their employees. The initiative encourages businesses to provide a welcoming attitude and comfortable clean accommodations for breastfeeding mothers.
If your group would like to promote the Family Friendly Business Initiative in your area, Iowa Breastfeeding Coalition grant opportunity is available with funds to assist. The grant is for local breastfeeding coalitions established with the IBC or community groups. The grant was released in April 2013. The IBC will fund a maximum of $50 for each approved proposal. Applicants must show matching funds of 100%. The grant application is due June 30, 2013 and the second opportunity to apply for the grant will be November 30, 2013. The application is available on the Family Friendly Business tab.
Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week
Over 170 countries including the US will be celebrating World Breastfeeding Week on August 1-7, 2013. The theme this year is Breastfeeding Support: Close to Mothers. For more information, visit the World Breastfeeding Week website.
How are you celebrating World Breastfeeding Week this year in your community? Share your ideas and events here by posting below!
Need a new calendar for 2013? Purchase one from the Iowa Breastfeeding Coalition and support breastfeeding projects in Iowa. The calendars feature local breastfeeding moms and children with photography by the talented Destri Andorf. The calendars are $15 with $3 shipping. If you are interested contact us at iowabreastfeedingcoalition@gmail.com.
This article about free formula bags given to families in hospitals is written by Anne M. Murphy, RNC, an experienced nurse at a large birthing hospital in Iowa.
What are your thoughts about giving free formula bags to families before they are discharged from the hospital? Share your thoughts by posting below.
I recently read a Medscape editorial: “U.S. Hospitals Pressured to End Free Baby Formula”. The article pointed out that giving formula gift packs to breastfeeding moms at discharge from the hospital is in violation of the World Health Organization Code and recommendations from not only the CDC, but also the AAP, ACOG and the GAO. I was curious to read more on the subject, as I was unaware of these recommendations and I followed up by reading several other journal articles. Continue reading Formula Bags in Hospitals
The Business Case for Breastfeeding is part of a nationwide emphasis aimed at encouraging women to breastfeed their infants for a longer duration after they return to work. The state of Iowa was one of 10 states selected in 2009 to receive funding to promote breastfeeding in the workplace. The Iowa Breastfeeding Coalition used part of that funding to provide 9 businesses throughout the state $500 grants to create or improve lactation rooms at their workplace.
Now that the grant is completed, the participating businesses have shared how it has impacted breastfeeding promotion. Visit the Business Case for Breastfeeding page to read their responses.
The Mother’s Milk Bank of Iowa is in urgent need of milk donors to meet the increased demand for donor human milk.
Healthy, lactating mothers are asked to consider donating their extra milk. Milk donors are not on medication with a few exceptions, are willing to be screened for health and lifestyle behaviors and communicable diseases and can deliver their milk to the milk bank or one of its 13 milk collection depots in Iowa.
Your donations help babies in the hospital and at home thrive and grow.
Please call the Mother’s Milk Bank of Iowa today.
877-891-5347, 319-384-9929 (Ann Jurgensen) or
319-356-2652 (Jean Drulis).
ann-jurgensen@uiowa.edu
jean-drulis@uiowa.edu
http://www.uihealthcare.org/milkbank/
Download the press release here.
Ginna Wall, MN, IBCLC, has updated her report summarizing the current research on the benefits of breastfeeding. The summary focuses on 3 areas: Effects on the Infant, Maternal Effects, and Societal Effects. The most recent report (updated in February 2013) is now posted on the Providers page.
The Iowa Breastfeeding Coalition has updated the Breastfeeding Counseling Guides and they are now available to download and print. These one-page (front and back) guides are designed for health care professionals to use when they are counseling breastfeeding women. There are 6 guides available: prenatal, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 months, 6 months, and 9 months. All are available free of charge on the Providers page.
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Iowa Breastfeeding Coalition Facebook Group