From Lori Brockman, Communications Officer, phone number (503) 655-8752
08-02-2010
Media and interested parties
Clackamas County program educates public about advantages of breastfeeding, urges proper nutrition for infants
August is National Breastfeeding month, during which health care providers and public health centers educate the public on the benefits of breastfeeding. During August, health care providers seek to encourage mothers to make a commitment to breastfeed their infants.Most brain growth occurs in the first five years of life, and proper nutrition begins in infancy. Breastfeeding offers a multitude of health benefits for mothers and their infants:
• Protects your baby from gastrointestinal trouble, respiratory problems, and ear infections and from developing some allergies
• May protect against obesity or developing diabetes later in life
• Helps the mother lose weight, as the body burns more calories to produce milk for the baby
• Lowers the mother’s stress levels and enhances mother-infant bonding
“As a mother, I am aware of the critical role that good nutrition provides early in a child’s life,” said Clackamas County Commissioner Ann Lininger. “Clackamas County’s Women, Infants and Children program provides excellent support to breastfeeding mothers, including nutrition education and vouchers for healthy foods to pregnant and breastfeeding women and infants, as well as children up to the age of 5.”
Clackamas County WIC also provides health screening and referrals to other agencies, and has locations in Canby, Gladstone, Oregon City and Sandy. To learn more about WIC in Clackamas County or to see if you qualify for WIC benefits, call (503) 655-8476 or click here.
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Clackamas County Health, Housing and Human Services department promotes and assists individuals, families and communities to be healthy, safe, and thrive. H3S provides a broad spectrum of services for low income and vulnerable residents and addresses public health issues for the entire county. To learn more, please visit our web site at http://www.clackamas.us/dhs