The birth of a baby is one of the most exciting events of a lifetime. It’s also one of the most demanding. New parents are bombarded with additional responsibilities and concerns. At Arlington Memorial Hospital, our goal is to make childbirth less daunting and more rewarding. One of the many ways we help is by providing support to moms who breastfeed.

Breastfeeding has been the primary mode of nourishing newborns since the first woman gave birth to the first baby. It wasn’t until the last century that formula feeding became an option and achieved widespread popularity — popularity that diminished as the medical community learned how breastfeeding contributes to good health.

These are some of the benefits breastfeeding offers babies:

• A lower frequency of illness
• A 50 percent reduction in the risk of developing diabetes
• A reduced risk of developing learning deficiencies
• A reduced risk of developing allergies
• A reduced risk of developing high blood pressure or heart disease later in life

These are some of the benefits breastfeeding offers moms:

• A reduced risk for many kinds of cancer, osteoporosis, anemia and urinary tract infection
• Greater ease in losing weight after childbirth, since breastfeeding burns extra calories

Every new mother should decide for herself about breastfeeding. It is not our intent to change the minds of mothers who prefer to bottle feed. Instead, our goal is to remove the obstacles that keep mothers who are inclined to breastfeed from following through. By helping new mothers learn to nurse without difficulty, discomfort or inconvenience, we enable more mothers to exercise that option.

One way Arlington Memorial supports breastfeeding is by providing the services of board certified lactation consultants to our new mothers. Board certification is earned by nurses who have passed the International board certified lactation consultant exam after successfully completing 30 hours of breastfeeding education and documenting between 2,500 and 4,000 hours working with breastfeeding mothers.

Arlington Memorial is proud to have three board certified lactation consultants on our staff. Among them, they visit approximately 250 new breastfeeding moms each month.

“It’s such gratifying work,” explains Beth Hawkins, R.N., IBCLC, who heads the breastfeeding program. “Often, all it takes is a simple suggestion to help a mom get the hang of it and go home feeling confident.”

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