Engaging the community to improve

children's health in Hampton Roads

 For more information on the Breastfeeding Welcome Here Project contact Megan Whitehill, (757) 668-6456 or email, whitehmm@evms.edu.

The Business Case for Breastfeeding (BC4BF) is a program designed to educate employers about the value of supporting breastfeeding employees in the workplace.

The benefits to employers are:

• lower healthcare costs for nursing moms & their babies
• lower absenteeism which leads to higher productivity
• lower staff turnover rates

For moms & babies, breastfeeding has been shown to have tremendous benefits:

• lowered risk of obesity
• lowered risks of diseases for both mom & baby
• real cost savings for families & tax-funded programs - women who breastfeed can save up to $1,500 a year on formula 

Please click on the following links to view & download Business Case for Breastfeeding materials:

Easy Steps to Breastfeeding Support Booklet

FAQs for Flexible Breaktime, Federal Laws

Timeline for Implementing a Lactation Support Program

The Business Case for Breastfeeding for Business Managers

Lactation Program Pre-Assessment Form for Businesses

Lactation Support Program Feedback form for Employees

Lactation Support Program Feedback form for Supervisors

Lactation Support Program Resource Guide

Sample Policy for Lactation Support Program

Employer Spotlights: Positive Outcomes

BC4BF Project Details

With funding through the Virginia Department of Health's CHAMPIONS initiative, CINCH implemented BC4BF in Hampton Roads in 2010 with the goal of engaging 10 employers in multiple cities to adopt some of the strategies listed in BC4BF. This program involved completing a baseline assessment of what policies and support systems (if any) employers had to support nursing moms. Project staff then worked with employers to help either develop or enhance breastfeeding support policies, as well as set up appropriate lactation space that nursing mothers could use at their worksite.

Those employers and organizations who participated the BC4BF program received a variety of materials and incentives including:

• A resource toolkit that outlines steps employers can take to provide lactation support through policies and environmental changes
• Breast pumps, chairs, signage and other supplies for lactation rooms
• Community resource information for nursing mothers.
• Technical support from project staff

A follow-up assessment of this program in 2012 showed that we exceeded our goals for this program with:

• 17 employers engaged in some aspect of this program 
• 16 employers participated in face-to-face consultations
• 15 employers completed the baseline Lactation Assessment Form
• 14 employers created or upgraded 17 lactation rooms at their facilities
• 13 worksites impacted by 8 drafted or adopted organizational policies

This project orginates from the US Department of Health and Human Services, HRSA, Maternal and Child Health Department.

Special thanks to the project staff, past and present, who worked diligently with Hampton Roads employers to make this a successful project. 

 For more information on the Business Case for Breastfeeding Project contact Megan Whitehill, (757) 668-6456 or email, whitehmm@evms.edu.

Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care

Because breastfeeding provides the healthiest start for babies, providing ideal nutrition and a multitude of health benefits for both infant and mother, it is important for child care providers to support and encourage breastfeeding. We want to ensure that all breastfeeding families have the support they need to continue breastfeeding while their children attend child care centers.

FOR FAMILIES:

Breastfeeding Making it Work

Infant Feeding for All Families

Infant Feeding Plan for Child Care Centers 

Feeding Your Child Brochure

Our Center Supports Breastfeeding Brochure

FOR CHILD CARE CENTERS:

Sample Child Care Center Breastfeeding Policy

Books and Toys that Support Breastfeeding

Supporting Breastfeeding Employees

ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS FOR SETTING UP YOUR PROGRAM:

Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Center Self-Inventory

Ten Steps to Having a Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Center

 For more information on the Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Project contact Megan Whitehill, (757) 668-6456 or email, whitehmm@evms.edu.

What's Happening

Obesity Prevention Workgroup
Meets the second Wednesday of each month at 12:30pm

Respiratory Health Workgroup
Meets the third Wednesday of each month from 9-10:30 am

Healthy Start/Healthy Families Workgroup
Meets the third Wednesday of each month at 1:30 pm

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