Parents Welcome at World Breastfeeding Week Celebration

Hartford Hospital is hosting its 10th annual celebration of World Breastfeeding Week with Connecticut Children’s next week.

On Aug. 3, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the event, which includes booths from community groups, such as La Leche League, Breastfeeding USA, WIC, and the state Department of Public Health and private pediatric groups, will feature speakers, education and support services. There also will be a presentation of a proclamation declaring the month of August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month. It will be at Seymour Plaza, between Hartford Hospital and Connecticut Children’s. There will be light refreshments and a raffle.

The 2022 theme for World Breastfeeding Week, from Aug. 1-7, is “Step Up for Breastfeeding: Educate and Support.” World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is a global campaign to raise awareness and galvanize action on themes related to breastfeeding.

The WBW campaign this year includes revamping the warm chain of existing education and community services to support breastfeeding and mothers.

Mary Marshall-Crim, FNP-BC, IBCLC, manager of Hartford Hospital’s lactation program, said Hartford Hospital has been recognized as a Baby-Friendly hospital since 2000, it was the first in the state to be named Baby-Friendly, which recognizes that the hospital promotes, protects and supports breastfeeding and a mother’s informed decision to formula feed her baby.

The nursing staff is highly educated in breastfeeding care, and includes 10 lactation consultants and two peer counselors. The team also has staff that speak Spanish and Portuguese and use translations services to communicate to families in other languages. Patients are seen postpartum at the bedside, and after discharge can receive support and services in person, virtually or by phone.

For lactating employees, Hartford Hospital has 10 pumping rooms throughout the campus.

Hartford Hospital collaborates with Connecticut Children’s provide optimal infant feeding support.

Connecticut Children's flagship neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Hartford Hospital is already a hub for newborn care throughout the region: it’s named one of the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report, staffed by a nationally-ranked nursing team, and leads important research. The Pediatric Care Alliance will bring NICUs staffed by Connecticut Children's specialists to more Hartford HealthCare locations – so communities throughout the region have access to this same high-quality neonatology care.

Find out more: Listen to a podcast about how protecting breastfeeding is a shared community responsibility.