The Southern Adirondack Child Care Network is excited to be teaming up with the Clinton County Health Department and the Child Care Coordinating Council of the North Country to implement the Creating Breastfeeding Friendly Communities grant with our child care programs in Warren and Washington County. The goal of this grant is to increase the ability for mothers to continue breastfeeding for as long as possible after returning to the workforce. The grant takes a multifaceted approach to providing more support for breastfeeding mothers returning to work by recruiting employers, community support programs and child care providers to become breastfeeding friendly places where mothers will feel comfortable taking care of their needs in a safe supportive setting.
The Child Care Network is focusing on assisting child care providers to receive the CACFP Breastfeeding Friendly Certified Child Care Program designation. This grant has targeted certain communities within Warren and Washington County where the need for such services is greatest. The communities targeted are Hague, Lake Luzerne and Stony Creek in Warren County and Fort Ann, Fort Edward, Granville, Hampton, Hebron and Kingsbury in Washington County. If you are a childcare provider in one of these communities or if you serve families from one or more of these communities, you may be eligible to participate in this grant opportunity. Please contact Linda Scimeca for more information. 518-798-7972 ext. 203 or [email protected].
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all babies are fed only breastmilk for the first 6 months and that breastfeeding continue through at least the first year of their lives. In our area 8 out of 10 mothers choose to feed their baby breastmilk-the healthy first food. However, many moms report that returning to work or school is the main reason they stop breastfeeding. Child care programs can support moms in their endeavor to breastfeed longer by:
- Providing a comfortable space for moms to breastfeed or pump breastmilk
- Providing resources to assist moms in making the transition back to work
- Sharing information that can help moms understand how to keep producing milk
- Sharing information and resources on the benefits of breastfeeding for mom and baby
- Learning about safe ways to store breastmilk and follow a babies hunger cues
NYS Child Care Regulations require that every effort be made to accommodate the needs of a child who is being breastfed. CACFP can reimburse participating child care providers for feeding breastmilk to the infants in their care. NYS and U.S. Department of Labor have specific information about requirements for break time for nursing mothers. You can download factsheets at the links listed below: