Eye on Health: Beacon nurses explain health benefits of breastfeeding
Breastmilk is a strong source of nutrition for babies, yet only about 1 in 4 infants exclusively receive it, national statistics reveal. Still, most moms-to-be hear the same question for nine months: “Do you plan to breastfeed?”
Tia Kling, a registered nurse at Elkhart General Hospital and mom of three, says she knew the answer all along. “I knew I wanted to breastfeed as soon as I found out I was pregnant.”
In our WSBT Eye on Health story this month, which is National Breastfeeding Month, Tia talks about the struggles she faced in breastfeeding her second child — even though she spends much of her time helping and teaching other moms about breastfeeding.
Michelle Kaufman, a Certified Nurse Midwife with Beacon Medical Group, says the reason she and so many other professionals encourage moms like Kling to keep going is because it has so many benefits.
“For babies,” Michelle says, “it helps to decrease the risk of asthma, allergies, obesity, diabetes, they get sick less often. And for moms, it decreases the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and interestingly, we’re also learning it also improves our heart health.”
Watch the entire WSBT Eye on Health story below.
Learn more
Your Beacon care team supports you during and after your pregnancy with one-on-one consultations, breastfeeding classes and support groups. Support for families addresses the physical and emotional changes that come with parenthood and a newborn. In classes, participants learn more about things like feeding techniques and positions. During your consultation or class, you will receive guidance for common breastfeeding concerns. If your baby arrives early or needs more care, lactation consultants work with nurses in the NICU to help support you and your baby.
Beacon is proud to have Baby-Friendly USA designated birth facilities. This initiative is a global program promoting best practices for infant feeding and parent/newborn bonding. Elkhart General Hospital, Memorial Hospital of South Bend and Beacon Kalamazoo have been awarded this designation.
