By Debbie Rogers
Families are invited to take a break from the heat next week at the Wood County Fair. Enjoy air conditioning, a diaper station and a private place to feed baby in the Pratt Pavilion.
Wood County Health Department Nutrition Director Kaitlin Denison said that the Women, Infants and Children program celebrates August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month.
“With the support of the board, we’re going to be hosting an infant care and nursing station at the Wood County Fair,” Denison said. “There will be a designated, air-conditioned space, which provides a private, cool, clean space for nursing moms and even parents who might not be nursing but just want a cool space to step aside.”
There will be a nursing chair, changing table and other supplies.
The space will be open the duration of the fair, which starts this weekend.
On Aug. 8, the local WIC program is hosting a latch-on event at Bowling Green City Park, at one of the outside shelters from 5-7 p.m.
“We’ll be inviting our pregnant moms and breastfeeding moms through the WIC program to come out and be in community and celebrate breastfeeding,” Denison said.
There will be food, support and raffle items.
The community is invited to attend.
Denison said there are many benefits to breastfeeding, for babies and moms.
“It helps cement a bond between the mother and the infant,” she said. “There are antibodies that the woman shares through the breast milk that help protect them against various diseases.
“Breast milk is really made individually by the mother’s body, specifically in response to the needs of the infant.”
For the moms, breastfeeding can decrease the risk of breast cancer and other cancers, Denison said.
