LUMBERTON — Southeastern Health was recently presented the Golden Bow Award by the North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition in recognition of its efforts to support breastfeeding.
According to the coalition, Southeastern Health was given the award because of its decision to no longer distribute infant formula manufacturer discharge bags and to provide breastfeeding-friendly maternity care.
“We are really excited about receiving the award,” said Charlotte McDuffie, Southeastern Health’s lactation consultant. “It is a big step toward our end goal.”
Winning the Golden Bow Award will help Southeastern Health to obtain the North Carolina Maternity Center Breastfeeding-Friendly designation.
“There are numerous efforts in place to encourage breastfeeding at Southeastern and new research every day that shows the benefits of breastfeeding,” McDuffie said.
In recent years, Southeastern Health has implemented various initiatives to encourage breastfeeding at the facility, including hiring a full-time lactation consultant and implementing a “rooming-in” policy, which allows a newborn to stay in the room with parents continuously until discharged, allowing additional time together while in the hospital.
McDuffie said it is her mission to help educate the community about the importance of breastfeeding and the effects it can have on a community. Her goal is to provide patients with individual care for the needs of the mother and baby while providing help with breastfeeding and reducing health-care costs.
According to McDuffie, breastfeeding can change the health status of a community. Research has shown breastfeeding can reduce the risk of adult obesity, osteoporosis and Type I and II diabetes, while improving lung function and lowering blood pressure in the child. At the same time, the mother is lowering her blood pressure, decreasing chances of postpartum depression and reducing her risk of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers as well as type II diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, a metabolic disease and cardiovascular disease. She said that the community seems basically unaware of the benefits associated with breastfeeding.
Southeastern Health’s Maternal and Child Health Services division sponsors a support group and class the first Monday of each month. The next meeting is Oct. 5. The support group will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. and the class from 7 to 8 p.m. in Community Classroom II off of the main lobby at Southeastern Regional Medical Center.
For information, contact McDuffie at 910-671-5000, Ext. 3148 or by email at [email protected].
