If you have explored this blog at all, you might wonder where are all the health posts. Over the past year most of my posts have been about politics..and this is supposed to be a policy and health space.

I apologize.

Please believe that I do engage in health promotion on a daily basis. I work for  Healthy and Active Before 5, a non profit collaborative whose mission is to reduce childhood obesity rates in Contra Costa County.

I am also the health ministry coordinator for Memorial Tabernacle Church, where I help to plan health events and screenings, encourage physical activity and support our community garden.

In anycase..you can read my lastest blog post for Healthy and Active Before 5 here!..

Enjoy!

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We want more lactation spaces in Contra Costa County. | Healthy and Active Before 5.

We know that new mothers often intend to breastfeed, yet only 60% of mothers in California leave the hospital breastfeeding exclusively [1]. The precentage decreases dramatically just a couple months after the baby arrives home.

Why? Often it’s due to complications and/or the neeed for more training on good breastfeeding techniques..but lack of clean and safe spaces to pump or breastfeed while at work or in public also plays a role.

Healthy and Active Before 5 is actively working to increase the number of spaces for new moms to pump and breastfeed in Contra Costa County.

Thanks in part to generous funding from the Kaiser Permanente Monument HEAL Initiative, we have worked with several Contra Costa agencies to adopt breastfeeding policies and provide accomodation for new mothers.

• First 5 Contra Costa was one of our first partners to put together a breastfeeding room at their office. Check out First 5′s Breastfeeding space on their blog -> “First 5′s New Nursing Room“
• Monument Crisis Center policy maintains a commitment towards having a supportive environment for breastfeeding mothers.
• Community Violence Solutions supports and enables employees and clients to breastfeed during work hours in compliance with California Law (Labor Code 1030-1033).
• Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association (PCFMA) will have a space in their office for new moms in Concord. PCFMA is also exploring the idea of having a tent at local farmers markets.
• Contra Costa WIC has a breastfeeding space for employees and clients. Their policy applies throughout the county. WIC also has a traveling tent where moms can breastfeed at local health fairs and events!

Thanks in part to HAB45 mini-grant funds, Contra Costa WIC will have lactation spaces at 3 sites- Richmond, Concord and the Pittsburg Health Center.

• Solomon Temple Baptist Church in Pittsburg recently decorated a new room for moms to breastfeed. Plus, during World Breastfeeding Week, Solomon TBC hosted a Contra Costa Baby Shower to educate new mothers about breastfeeding. Read more in the Contra Costa Times –> “Pittsburg Baby Shower Geared towards African American Mothers to Be“

Healthy and Active Before 5 will be working with more agencies throughout the county to provide space for employees and clients to breastfeed and pump. We will also be putting together a map showing new mothers where they can go in the city of Concord to rest and feed their babies.

Preventing childhood obesity starts with baby’s first food…. Breastmilk. If you are interested in doing what you can to help families provide their children with a healthy start consider adopting a breastfeeding policy at your work place!

– See more at: http://www.healthyandactivebefore5.org/