For more information, contact Kim Papich, SRHD Public Information Officer (509) 324-1539

SPOKANE, Wash. – Aug 1, 2012 – Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) announced today that during the week of Aug 1-7, 2012, it will again celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, an annual event that draws attention to the health impact of breastfeeding for both babies and mothers.
 
Breastfeeding peer counselors from the health district’s Women, Infant and Children nutrition program (WIC) will again host a World Breastfeeding Walk and Celebration, Sat., Aug 4, at 10:00 a.m. beginning at Riverfront Park’s Red Wagon. After the walk, La Leche League of Spokane will host a Big Latch On event, a registered location where breastfeeding women all latch on their child at a set time and then are counted to see if they can beat previous records or even the world record.
 
Worldwide, more than 170 countries celebrate World Breastfeeding Week. Governor Christine Gregoire issued a World Breastfeeding Week proclamation to help support this public health priority. Health agencies like SRHD organize activities to help spread awareness about the importance of breastfeeding and the risks of not breastfeeding.
 
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, both babies and mothers gain many benefits from breastfeeding. Human milk provides the most complete form of nutrition for infants. Breast milk is easy to digest and offers breastfeeding infants protection against bacterial and viral infections. Research indicates that women who breastfeed may have lower rates of certain breast and ovarian cancers.
 
“When a community can rally around breastfeeding, the momentum can increase the number of women who breastfeed their babies and the number of months they breastfeed—that’s the spirit of this celebration,” said Dr. Joel McCullough, SRHD health officer. “We’re excited about the positive impact this collaboration will have on the health and well-being of our community.”
 
This year's theme, Understanding the Past - Planning the Future, focuses on the importance of looking back in celebration at successes in breastfeeding promotion over the past 20 years and applying this knowledge to what more can be done to support all women who choose to breastfeed. In addition to the health district’s WIC program and its support of breastfeeding moms, SRHD also has a Wellness Committee that includes worksite breastfeeding support as one of its initiatives.
 
For more information about the health district’s support of World Breastfeeding Week or its planned activities, please contact Kristine Brewer at (509) 323-2806, or email at kbrewer@spokanecounty.org. For more information and ideas for how to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week 2012, visit http://www.breastfeedingwa.org/wbw.
 
More information about WIC and SRHD can be found at www.srhd.org. SRHD’s website offers comprehensive, updated information about Spokane Regional Health District and its triumphs in making Spokane a safer and healthier community. Become a fan of SRHD on Facebook to receive local safety and wellness tips. You can also follow us on Twitter @spokanehealth.