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Virtua Supports Breastfeeding and Healthy Babies

Before Delran resident Ashley delivered her first child, she researched the benefits of breastfeeding for her baby. Equipped with the knowledge she needed, she was excited to begin as soon as she delivered her healthy baby girl, Reese. When she encountered some challenges with feeding her daughter in the beginning, Ashley turned to Virtua’s private lactation consultations, prenatal education and support groups for help. After working with these resources Ashley is now able to successfully breastfeed her baby girl and provide her with a healthy start in life. She feels fortunate to have the support she needed from Virtua. 
 
Each year, Virtua celebrates World Breastfeeding Week, a global awareness campaign that promotes the positive outcomes of breastfeeding. This year’s theme is “Breastfeeding, a Key to Sustainable Development.”  
 
This powerful theme promotes breastfeeding as a “key element in getting people to think about how to value wellbeing from the start of life, how to respect each other and care for the world we share.” The nation benefits overall when mothers breastfeed. Recent research shows that if 90 percent of families breastfed exclusively for six months, nearly 1,000 deaths among infants could be prevented. The United States would also save $13 billion per year; health care costs are lower for fully breastfed infants than for never-breastfed infants. Breastfed infants typically need fewer sick visits, prescriptions and hospitalizations. Breastfeeding also contributes to a more productive workforce because mothers miss less work to care for sick infants. Employer medical costs are also lower. Breastfeeding is also better for the environment. There is less trash and plastic waste compared to that produced by formula containers and bottle supplies.
 
WHO:           
Ashley is happy to share her story to help other new breastfeeding Moms have the best possible experience with their newborns. She will be joined by a Virtua lactation consultant.  
 
WHEN:         
World Breastfeeding Week runs from August 1 through August 7.  We are happy to arrange a convenient time that will work for you to speak with Ashley via phone and one of our lactation consultants.
 
WHERE:     
Virtua Voorhees 
200 Bowman Drive
Voorhees, NJ 08043
 
DETAILS:
Virtua, along with many leading health organizations, recommends that infants breastfeed for at least 12 months, with exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. This means that babies are not given any foods or liquids other than breast milk for the first 6 months. Below are links to Virtua’s website with details on how breastfeeding protects babies health, as well as how mothers benefit from breastfeeding.

As one of South Jersey’s largest employers, Virtua leads by example by providing nursing mothers on staff with private pumping rooms and breast pump coverage by Virtua’s insurance plan. Employees are also reimbursed for completing childbirth classes. In addition, Virtua offers private, hour-long consultations led by board certified lactation consultants (available to employees and the public). These personalized appointments help mothers and babies overcome problems and offer support in reaching their breastfeeding goals. This valuable service is in addition to a range of related offerings, including breastfeeding education (in person and online) and support groups.

 

July 25, 2016