17 childcare providers in La Crosse County have completed the process to becoming a Breastfeeding Friendly Childcare Provider in 2016 & 2017 benefiting >500 La Crosse area children. Childcare providers received support from the Western Wisconsin Breastfeeding Coalition, the La Crosse County Maternal and Child Health team, and The Parenting Place to achieve the 10 Steps to Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care. Steps to achieve the Breastfeeding Friendly Childcare recognition include: establishing and following supportive breastfeeding policies for consumers and employees, annually providing education opportunities to all staff on breastfeeding promotion and support, and providing accurate information and resources for families about breastfeeding. Childcare providers that meet the 10 Steps to Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care must pass reassessment every 2 years to maintain recognition.
Abbie Loos RD, IBCLC at the La Crosse County Health Department and chair of the Western Wisconsin Breastfeeding Coalition states “So many moms struggle with balancing motherhood and returning to work. Making the transition back to work while breastfeeding can sometimes take teamwork and support. The more people that can be on mom’s side to cheer her on and support her breastfeeding goals, the more likely she will be to succeed. Our local childcare providers play an integral part in helping these moms meet their goals and to be able to provide the breastmilk their babies need while mom is away at work. We are lucky to have so many childcare providers in the La Crosse area who are so interested and willing to provide this support for Moms.”
To see the full list of Breastfeeding Friendly Childcare providers visit the Western Wisconsin Breastfeeding Coalition website at www.wwbcoalition.org.
Childcare providers interested in working toward becoming a Breastfeeding Friendly Childcare Provider in 2018 can contact Audra at The Parenting Place: (608) 784-8125.
