Media Release

For Immediate Release
Date: July 30, 2007

Rhode Island Celebrates Breastfeeding Successes During World Breastfeeding Week (August 1–7)

The Rhode Island Breastfeeding Coalition, a coalition of community organizations working to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding in Rhode Island, is celebrating its 15-year anniversary. The Coalition has recently made tremendous progress toward promoting enhanced breastfeeding insurance benefits, supporting local adoption of the international Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, conducting in-depth trainings for healthcare providers, and developing and distributing numerous community resources, among other initiatives. Details about the Coalition and local breastfeeding resources for families and healthcare providers are posted at www.health.ri.gov/family/breastfeeding/ribc.php .

The Physicians' Committee for Breastfeeding in Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Department of Health, members of the Rhode Island Breastfeeding Coalition, will recognize eight employers for the second annual Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Award. Newport Hospital and the South County Hospital Healthcare System will both receive gold awards for their outstanding accommodations for breastfeeding mothers who return to work. Silver awards will be presented to Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, Landmark Medical Center, Lifespan Corporate Services, The Miriam Hospital, and Rhode Island Hospital / Hasbro Children's Hospital. Award presentations taking place during World Breastfeeding Week include Newport Hospital, August 2 nd at 12:00 p.m. at the Annual Birthing Center Luncheon; Bradley Hospital, August 3 rd at 9:30 a.m.; and South County Hospital Healthcare System, August 6 th at 12:00 p.m. Other award recipients will publicize events as they are scheduled. The breastfeeding policies, facilities, and resources provided by Breastfeeding-Friendly employers in Rhode Island are summarized at www.health.ri.gov/family/breastfeeding/workplaces-friendly.php .

“I applaud the Rhode Island Breastfeeding Coalition for its successes in helping hospitals and other businesses to better accommodate breastfeeding,” said Director of Health, David R. Gifford, MD, MPH. “Employers experience the benefits of workplace breastfeeding support in cost savings for healthcare, reduced absenteeism, employee morale, and employee retention ,” he said. “ Workplace support strategies are feasible, safe, affordable, and relatively easy to implement,” he added. Babies who are breastfed also have a lower risk for becoming overweight or obese in childhood and later in life. This is only one of the many health advantages that breastfeeding provides for mothers and their children.

For more information about the ways employers can support breastfeeding and the benefits of breastfeeding to mothers and children, visit www.health.ri.gov/family/breastfeeding .