One thing I enjoy is talking about the unforgettable moments, people and things in life that were a positive influence. August is National Breastfeeding Month, which brings up special recollections.  

It was while I was in my 20s and a neighbor visited with her newborn son, that I first saw a woman breastfeed. Up to this point, nursing was something I had only randomly heard about. I watched quietly and acted casual, while on the inside I was in awe, feeling privileged to have a front-row seat.

Kaycee (not her real name) and her newborn son went about nursing as easily as they breathed. I was so moved by the experience that my neighbor might as well have been wearing a floor-length white flowing gown and the crown of a high priestess. That’s the essence of my memory and the image that was implanted.

Several years later, at a festival, I picked up an educational handout about the advantages of mother’s milk, such as how it protects the baby through the transfer of immunity in the feeding. It dispelled myths, such as the one about nursing a baby causing sagging breasts (gravity takes over, no matter what you do). I was inspired and began promoting breastfeeding to family and friends, especially ones who were pregnant. I decided if I ever had a baby, I would breastfeed, too. Eventually, I did, with the help of an organization called La Leche League.

As we become more aware and pay attention to our bodies, we discover, too, that a logical process exists. During pregnancy, a woman stores energy in the form of body fat for use in making milk once the baby is delivered. This milk has tremendous immune advantages, especially in the first three days, when the infant receives what is called colostrum. Babies need the nutrients in breast milk for their entire first year of life. Mom’s milk is always the right temperature when the baby needs it. If we go to school or work, we can even pump and keep it in the refrigerator and freezer, so Dad or a caregiver can feed the baby while we are out. 

It’s helpful to become knowledgeable about breastfeeding before it’s time to deliver the baby. It is an advantage to prepare by getting together and talking with others about it, getting phone numbers of friends or relatives who can assist when there are questions, talking to healthcare providers and going to social media-supported breastfeeding sites.

The Women, Infants, Children (WIC) Program has numerous resources. Sullivan County’s WIC Program is operated by Sullivan County Public Health Services in Liberty, NY, and reaches out to the community in four different locations. The entire WIC team, as well as other public health department staff (Healthy Families, Maternal Child Health Nurses), are specially trained to guide and assist with breastfeeding. WIC offers valuable support toward feeding infants and children from birth to age five, and nutrition education about staying healthy during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Vouchers to purchase nutritious foods, nutrition education, farmers’ market vouchers, and referrals to health and other types of services are offered. Call 845/292-5910, ext. 5 for more information or to see if you might be eligible for WIC supplemental nutrition benefits.

In honor of National Breastfeeding Month, there will be a “Latch-On in the Garden” event on August 3 at 11 a.m. at Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. Mothers breastfeeding infants and children of all ages are invited and will be celebrated. If you previously breastfed or would just like to support mothers, please join us at this occasion.

[Lynn Guiser is a Damascus, PA resident, registered and licensed dietitian/nutritionist for 28 years, and past breastfeeding coordinator and current coordinator of the Sullivan County Women, Infants and Children Program.]