Summertime is finally here!  Thank you all for reading our first edition of the Wood County Breastfeeding Coalition's quarterly newsletter.  Here is our second, summertime edition!  

  

We are so thankful for all of the participants in the Marshfield 5K for Breastfeeding on April 13th!  We are all looking forward to our 5K in Wisconsin Rapids on August 17th and the dinner reception on September 28th.

  

We hope to see you at these events and wish you a very happy summertime!

  

-Leah Meidl and Amber France Co-Chairs of the Wood County Breastfeeding Coalition

This year, World Breastfeeding Week is August 1-7, 2013.  The theme of this year's week is "Breastfeeding Support: Close to Mothers".  The focus of the week will be highlighting the important of peer counselors for breastfeeding support.  "The Peer Counseling Program is a cost effective and highly productive way to reach a larger number of mothers more frequently. Peer Counselors can be anyone from the community who is trained to learn to support mothers. Trained Peer Counselors, readily available in the community become the lifeline for mothers with breastfeeding questions and issues" (World Breastfeeding Week.org).

 

Wood County has a peer counseling program through WIC (Women, Infants and Children).  The WIC peer counselor contacts pregnant mothers during their pregnancy and multiple times after baby is born.  She is able to offer breastfeeding support, answer questions and refer to lactation consultants as indicated.  For more information about peer counseling, contact Amber France at (715) 421-8911.

 

References:

http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/

We had our first ever, 5K for Breastfeeding in Marshfield on April 13, 2013!  More than 150 runners and walkers were "off to the breast start".  The weather didn't sound promising but the sunshine came out and we had a great day on the course at the zoo!

  

It was a fun, family event on a beautiful course!  The day began with a Kids Fun Run.  Everyone was a winner and all of the kids took home cool frisbees with the Wood County Breastfeeding logo!  Then the walk/run began!  It was professionally timed for competitive runners and walkers.  Congratulations to everyone who participated on the cold spring day.  Race results from the event are available at: http://www.woodcountybreastfeeding.org/Events/Marshfield5KResults.aspx

  

Save the date for the Marshfield walk/run next year, same location at Wildwood Park on April 19, 2014!

  

 

    

 

We are thrilled about two more exciting events to celebrate breastfeeding.  The first is our 2nd annual Wisconsin Rapids 5K for Breastfeeding on April 17, 2013.  Registrations are now being accepted.  Register at: http://www.woodcountybreastfeeding.org/Portals/1/Final%20WR%205K%20Form.pdf or http://www.active.com/running/wisconsin-rapids-wi/2nd-annual-5k-for-breastfeeding-2013. We are also pleased to offer a dinner to celebrate breastfeeding in Marshfield on September 28th at West 14th!  Dinner and wine will be served.  Come, celebrate breastfeeding, meet and hear from breastfeeding superstars.  More information to come!  Call (715) 421-8911 to register.