Florida Department of Health In Miami-Dade County Celebrates National Breastfeeding Month

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) in Miami-Dade County is celebrating World Breastfeeding Week and National Breastfeeding Month this August. This year’s theme “Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding” was chosen to be inclusive of all types of parents in today’s world. Focusing on supporting parents to be empowered is vital to realizing their breastfeeding goals. According to Dr. Yesenia Villalta, Health Administrator of the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County, “Breastfeeding is a proven primary prevention strategy, protecting both infants and mothers from a host of chronic and acute diseases and conditions. In addition, breastfeeding builds a strong emotional connection between the mother and infant, a bond which lasts a lifetime. The Annual Breastfeeding Awareness Event highlights the importance of breastfeeding and the need to support community initiatives promoting breastfeeding. We want to thank IKEA® Miami for hosting the event.”

In continuing its 8th year annual tradition to commemorate World Breastfeeding Week and National Breastfeeding Month, the DOH-Miami-Dade is excited to announce a unique partnership with IKEA® Miami to host the “2019 BreastfeedMiami: Big Latch On Event” which will be held August 3rd, 2019 from 9:00am – 3:00pm at IKEA® Miami located at 1801 NW 117th Ave, Miami, FL 33172.

The Global Big Latch takes place at registered locations around the world, where women gather together to breastfeed or pump at the same time around the world. IKEA® Miami and DOH-Miami-Dade is an official registered Big Latch On site. This special event offers peer support to breastfeeding mothers and fathers. Friends, family and community members are welcome to celebrate and join to promote and support breastfeeding.

The first 200 registered breastfeeding mothers participating in the Big Latch On will receive a FREE small breakfast at the IKEA® Miami Restaurant. DOH-Miami-Dade, IKEA® Miami and partners will host a variety of parent & kid workshops throughout the store including a cooking demonstration, Breastfeeding 101, Pumping, Story Time, Arts & Crafts and much more.

Local WIC agencies offer resources and staff to help breastfeeding mothers. WIC agencies may have International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants who have a high level of specialized knowledge in breastfeeding to assist clients. WIC agencies also have Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Programs. The trained peer counselors are chosen from the same socio/economic/ethnic groups as WIC clients and have successfully breastfed their own babies.

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Breastfeeding peer counselors provide mother-to-mother basic breastfeeding education and support to pregnant and breastfeeding moms.

For more information about the Florida WIC program call 1-800-342-3556 or visit www.FloridaWIC.org. To learn more about National Breastfeeding Month and the benefits of breastfeeding visit www.usbreastfeeding.org, www.llli.org or www.flbreastfeeding.org.