Where's the Best Place to Breastfeed Your Baby?

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Now that moms can breastfeed their infants in public without fear of discrimination or being sent to a public restroom to feed the babies, an Oakland County group wants to publicly recognize local businesses, employers and others who are taking extraordinary steps to accommodate the moms.

Nominations for the Breastfeeding-Friendly Place Awards will be accepted until 5 p.m. Friday, June 3, by the Oakland County Breastfeeding Coalition, which is sponsoring the competition in collaboration with the Oakland County Health Division Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.

Nomination forms are available online at www.oakgov.com/health. Awards will be presented to businesses, employers and pediatrician offices that accommodate breastfeeding moms and support their choices to raise healthy children, Kathy Forzley, manager and health officer for the Health Division, said in a news release.

“A natural first food, breast milk contains all the nutrients that newborns and infants need,” she said.

• Breastmilk helps keep babies healthy by:
• Supplying all the necessary nutrients in the proper proportions
• Protecting against diseases, infections, allergies and obesity
• Being easily digested - no constipation, diarrhea or upset stomach

As an added bonus, Forzley said, mothers who breastfeed have a reduced risk of Type 2 Diabetes and certain cancers such as breast cancer, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

They may also find it easier to return to their pre-pregnancy weight. Plus, breastfeeding strengthens the bond between mother and child. Mothers who are able to pump while at work and continue to breastfeed their infants miss fewer days of work on average than those who are formula feeding.

Related:

• One of the Last Holdouts, Michigan Finally Accommodates Breastfeeding Moms

The coalition will announce award winners during the first week of Breastfeeding Awareness Month in August.

“We’re pleased that nursing in public is now legally protected in Michigan,” Jennifer Day, chairperson of the Oakland County Breastfeeding Coalition, said in the news release. “We are committed to honoring local places that go above and beyond to support breastfeeding mothers, babies and families in Oakland County.”

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Patch file photo