Health - Child Health: Breastfeeding

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Home » Health » Child Health » Breastfeeding » Breastfeeding is Best

Child Health

Health

Why Breastfeed? Breastfeeding is Best!

Community Stories

Listen/View Huron County parents share stories of their breastfeeding experiences.

Downloads & Links

A Healthy Start: Breastfeeding. (PDF) Huron County Health Unit, September 2009. Help with holds, storage of breast milk, and mother's diet.

Vitamin D & Your Baby (Birth to One Year). (PDF) Huron County Health Unit, October 2009.

Breastfeeding Matters: A guide to breastfeeding for women and their families. (PDF) Best Start 2011.

Links
10 Great Reasons to Breastfeed your Baby. Public Health Agency of Canada, July 15, 2009.

Vitamin D Supplementation for Breastfed Infants. Health Canada, 2004.

Breastfeeding. World Health Organization, 2009.

Newman Breastfeeding Clinic & Institute. Resources for breastfeeding mothers as well as health care professionals.

Breastfeeding is the best choice for Mom and Baby. Breast milk gives an infant a healthy start in life.

Breastfeeding is best for babies:

Environmentally friendly
Decreases risk of SIDS
Helps to build healthy eating habits
Provides the best food that is always fresh and ready
Helps to prevent diarrhea
Increases protection against illnesses such as childhood diabetes
Increases protection against ear, chest and stomach infections
Increases protection against allergies
Helps to promote proper jaw and teeth development
May help to promote better brain development

Breastfeeding is best for Mothers:

Promotes close bonding with baby
Helps the uterus return to its normal size after birth
Helps keep bones strong
May help to return to a healthy body weight
Saves money and time
Lowers the risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancers

The health unit joins the World Health Organization and Health Canada in recommending exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. Exclusive breastfeeding means the infant gets only breastmilk and no other food or drinks, including water.

Once the infant is six months old we recommend adding solid foods and continued breastfeeding for up to two years and beyond. Health Canada recommends Vitamin D infant drops for breastfed infants.

How we support breastfeeding

Breastfeeding Clinic: Held every Thursday 9 AM to Noon at the health unit. A Lactation Consultant is available to help nursing mothers. Mothers can also get baby weight checks and information.

Breastfeeding Support Clinic: Drop in every Thursday 9am to noon in Clinton and every Tuesday 9am to noon in Wingham.

Breast pumps: Public Health Nurses can provide information on breast pumps and where to rent hospital grade pumps.

Follow us on Facebook! Share your breastfeeding story. Join conversations with other nursing mothers and lactation consultants in Huron County.

Breastfeeding Advice: is available by phone or home visits to mothers in Huron County.

Breastfeeding Referrals/Consults: are accepted from physicians, midwives, doulas, hospitals and individuals.

For more information on breastfeeding and our services, call the the health unit Main Office at 519.482.3416, the Wingham office at 519.357.4993 OR toll free at 1.877.837.6143.