The breastfeeding campaign, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, hopes to empower women to commit to breastfeeding by highlighting new research showing that babies who are exclusively breastfed for six months are less likely to develop ear infections, diarrhea and respiratory illnesses, and may be less likely to develop childhood obesity. For more information visit www.fitpregnancy.com/yournewlife/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-awareness-month-40726312.html

 

For mother friendly worksite wellness tools kits visit

http://ask.hrsa.gov/ConsumerPublications.cfm?start=All  or call Amy at HCCA (588-5019) for this tool kit

MaineGeneral Prevention Center's Mother Friendly Toolkit 621-3740

 

In this last legislative session the Act to Facilitate Lactation in the Workplace by New Mothers was signed in law on May 6, 2009 by Governor Baldacci.  As Public Law, Chapter 84 LD 373, item 1, an employer shall provide adequate unpaid break time or permit an employee to use break time or meal time each day to express breast milk for her nursing child for up to 3 years following childbirth.  The employer shall make reasonable efforts to provide a clean room or other than a bathroom, where an employee may express breast milk in privacy.  An employer may not discriminate in any way against an employee who chooses to express breast milk in the workplace.
 

The goal of National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is to increase awareness about immunizations across the life span, from infants to the elderly.  August is the perfect time to remind family, friends, co-workers, and those in the community to catch up on their vaccinations. Parents are enrolling their children in school, students are entering college, and healthcare workers are preparing for the upcoming flu season.

Immunization is one of the most significant public health achievements of the 20th century. Vaccines have eradicated smallpox, eliminated wild poliovirus in the United States. and significantly reduced the number of cases of measles, diphtheria, rubella, pertussis and other diseases. But despite these efforts, people in the U.S. still die from these and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

 

Vaccines offer safe and effective protection from infectious diseases. By staying up-to-date on the recommended vaccines, individuals can protect themselves, their families and friends and their communities from serious, life-threatening infections. 

To download an adult immunization schedule visit

 

To download a child and adolescent immunization schedule visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm
 
To stay up to date on H1N1:

US Department of Health and Human Services  www.flu.gov/

U.S. CDC H1N1:  http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
Maine CDC H1N1:  http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/swine-flu-2009.shtml

 

Sign up to receive urgent updates from Maine CDC's Health Alert Network (HAN).  The easiest and quickest way is to sign up is through the HAN Alert RSS feed at www.mainepublichealth.gov (midway down the center of the homepage).  

 

Consider following Maine CDC's updates and other information on:

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