The Oswego County Health Department welcomes lactating mothers to use its safe and private lactation room as the county observes August as National Breastfeeding Month. The lactation room is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located inside the Nick Sterio Public Health Clinic, 70 Bunner St., Oswego.

“We want to provide a safe and welcoming environment to Oswego County staff and community members while they’re visiting our building,” said Oswego County Supervising Public Health Nurse Jennifer Purtell. “Here at the health department, we have staff who can help answer questions regarding breastfeeding and connect families to other helpful local resources.”

Oswego County Public Health Nurse Jennifer DiGregorio added, “We will continue to improve our lactation room as new families’ needs grow within our community. Our goal is to address any barriers mothers may face when it comes to lactating. We hope that providing a drop-in location provides them a safe place to ask questions and start that conversation.”

Rates of breastfeeding in the U.S. vary widely because of the many complex barriers new mothers face when starting or continuing to breastfeed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many lactating women struggle to reach their breastfeeding goals, and 60% do not breastfeed as long as they intended to.

Some reasons a lactating mother may stop breastfeeding include:

• Issues with lactation and latching
• Concerns about infant nutrition and weight
• Concerns about taking medications while breastfeeding
• Unsupportive work policies and lack of parental leave
• Cultural norms and lack of family support
• Unsupportive hospital practices and policies

Maternal Child Health (MCH) Home Visiting Program and Healthy Families are two additional resources to help new parents.

MCH is a short-term voluntary program designed to improve a combination of pregnancy outcomes, parenting skills and early childhood health and development. Home visits include weighing the baby, performing a physical exam and assisting with breastfeeding issues.

Healthy Families is an evidence-based home visiting program that provides free services to expectant and new parents thanks to a partnership between the health department and Cornell University Cooperative Extension.

Healthy Families services include:

• Providing information on prenatal care, parenting, infant and child development and child health
• Connecting expectant and new parents with medical providers for prenatal/well-baby visits and immunizations
• Assessing children for developmental milestones and providing referrals for early intervention, if needed
• Demonstrating activities for parents to practice with their child to increase bonding and stimulate cognitive and physical development
• Helping families access community resources and services
• Providing opportunities for families to attend social and educational events

For more information about the lactation room, MCH, Healthy Families or other local resources for new and expectant parents go to https://health.oswegocounty.com/.

LACTATION ROOM NOW AVAILABLE – The Oswego County Health Department observes August as National Breastfeeding Month and welcomes lactating mothers to use its lactation room (pictured) in the Nick Sterio Public Health Clinic. It is a safe, private space for lactating mothers. The health department also provides information on breastfeeding and child health.