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Breastfeeding Group
Helping Mothers Have Healthy Babies
Program Overview
Breastfeeding group education and support sessions are held at our East
and West Healthy Start locations on a monthly basis. The sessions are facilitated by a certified Lactation
Specialist. In-home education and support is also available.
Breastfeeding group schedule:
East location:
West location:
Every third Wednesday of the month
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
610 N. Chester Street
(410) 675-2125
Every third Monday of the month
1:00 noon - 2:30 pm
2553 W. North Avenue
(410) 523-2258
More information about
breastfeeding and the benefits to mom and baby are provided below.
What is Breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding is the process of a mother feeding her baby or young child
with milk from her breasts. Babies have a sucking reflex that enables them
to suck and swallow milk. Also important in the process is a successful
latch, a normal frenulum, and a milk supply.
Benefits Of Breastfeeding
There are many benefits to breastfeeding. Even if you are able to do it
for only a short time, your baby's immune system can benefit from breast
milk. Here are many other benefits of breast milk for a mother, her baby,
and others:
Benefits For Baby:
Breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants. A mother's milk has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water, and protein that is needed for a baby's growth and development. Most babies find it easier to digest breast milk than they do formula.
As a result, breastfed infants grow exactly the way they should. They tend to gain less unnecessary weight and to be leaner. This may result in being less overweight later in life.
Premature babies do better when breastfed compared to premature babies who are fed formula.
Breastfed babies score slightly higher on IQ tests, especially babies who were born pre-maturely.
Benefits For Mom:
Nursing uses up extra calories, making it easier to lose the pounds of pregnancy. It also helps the uterus to get back to its original size and lessens any bleeding a woman may have after giving birth.
Breastfeeding, especially exclusive breastfeeding (no supplementing with formula), delays the return of normal ovulation and menstrual cycles. (However, you should still talk with your doctor or nurse about birth control choices.)
Breastfeeding lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, and possibly the risk of hip fractures and osteoporosis after menopause.
Breastfeeding makes your life easier. It saves time and money. You do not have to purchase, measure, and mix formula. There are no bottles to warm in the middle of the night!
A mother can give her baby immediate satisfaction by providing her breast milk when her baby is hungry.
Breastfeeding requires a mother to take some quiet relaxed time for herself and her baby.
Breastfeeding can help a mother to bond with her baby. Physical contact is important to newborns and can help them feel more secure, warm and comforted.
Breastfeeding mothers may have increased self-confidence and feelings of closeness and bonding with their infants.
Benefits For Society:
Breastfeeding saves on health care costs. Total medical care costs for the nation are lower for fully breastfed infants than never-breastfed infants since breastfed infants typically need fewer sick care visits, prescriptions, and hospitalizations.
Breastfeeding contributes to a more productive workforce. Breastfeeding mothers miss less work, as their infants are sick less often. Employer medical costs also are lower and employee productivity is higher.
Breastfeeding is better for our environment because there is less trash and plastic waste compared to that produced by formula cans and bottle supplies.
