Gov. Quinn Proclaims August as Breastfeeding Promotion Month
Governor Pat Quinn has
proclaimed the month of August as Breastfeeding
Promotion Month in the state of Illinois.
Breastfeeding Promotion Month is designed to increase
public awareness of breastfeeding as the normal and
expected way to feed all babies in Illinois.
“The benefits of breastfeeding are numerous, well
known and research based. Mother s and babies alike
benefit from breastfeeding. Babies who are breastfed
are protected against many maladies, including
respiratory and ear infections, asthma, allergies,
childhood cancer and obesity. Also, mothers who
breastfeed have a decreased risk of breast and
ovarian cancers,” said Illinois Department of Human
Services (IDHS) Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler.
“That’s why it’s so important that we encourage and
support breastfeeding and continue to remove the
stigma that is sometimes associated with it.”
Illinois’ Breastfeeding Promotion Month coincides
with the 20th anniversary of World Breastfeeding
Week, which is celebrated in more than 170 countries
August 1-7, 2011. This year’s theme “Talk to Me!
Breastfeeding- a 3D Experience!” focuses on the
importance of communication in protecting, promoting
and supporting breastfeeding as the normal way to
feed babies. Creating and expanding communication
about breastfeeding through social media outlets is
leading to wider outreach and support in the
community. Surfing the web for accurate breastfeeding
information or sharing knowledge and experiences is
just a click away.
IDHS promotes breastfeeding through the WIC program
and The Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program, which
utilizes women who have breastfed their own babies
and want to help other women successfully breastfeed.
Breastfeeding Peer Counselors receive regular
training so they are able to provide quality support
and assist breastfeeding women. Many peer counselors
use text messaging and social media outlets such as
Facebook to answer questions from breastfeeding moms
and to provide continuing support.
The department supports the Illinois State
Breastfeeding Task Force along with 10 regional task
forces as they promote awareness and education. IDHS
also recently launched the Illinois Breastfeeding
Blueprint, an initiative that brings together
stakeholders from across the state to help expand and
set priorities, develop benchmarks for success and
implement a five-year timeline for promoting and
supporting breastfeeding awareness activities and
efforts throughout the state of Illinois.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention National Immunization Survey, 70 percent
of mothers in Illinois start out breastfeeding. The
newly established Healthy People 2020 goals aim to
increase breastfeeding initiation to 81.9 percent;
increase breastfeeding at six months to 60.6 percent
and exclusive breastfeeding at three months to a
target of 46.2 percent. The Healthy People 2020
goals also focus on increasing the number of
employers who have worksite lactation support
programs and strive to increase the number of babies
born at hospitals that provide recommended care for
breastfeeding moms and their babies.
Local events and activities have been planned to
promote breastfeeding knowledge and awareness during
World Breastfeeding Week and Illinois Breastfeeding
Promotion Month. For more information, please visit
www.dhs.state.il.us or www.illinoisbreastfeeding.org.
Text of the Governor’s proclamation follows:
WHEREAS, human breastmilk is widely acknowledged to
be the only substance that provides complete
nutrition and immunologic protection to an infant;
and,
WHEREAS, breastfeeding promotes healthier mothers and
babies, stronger family bonds, is economical, and
benefits society through lower health care costs;
and,
WHEREAS, breastfeeding is recognized by many health
organizations, such as the American Academy of
Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists, the American Academy of Family
Physicians, the American Dietetic Association, and
the National Association of WIC Directors as the
preferred method of infant feeding, and they support
breastfeeding throughout the early years of life;
and,
WHEREAS, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action
has designated the first week of August as World
Breastfeeding Week; and,
WHEREAS, a united effort is needed from business,
community, and government leaders and healthcare
providers to support exclusive breastfeeding; and,
WHEREAS, in Illinois, the Department of Human
Services continues to foster networking and
collaboration between those with breastfeeding skills
and breastfeeding advocates, communities, and health
professionals on how they can actively support and
promote breastfeeding; and,
WHEREAS, the Illinois State Breastfeeding Task Force
continues to work towards the vision that someday all
families will live, work, and receive health care in
a breastfeeding friendly culture, and a change will
be created that results in breastfeeding as the
cultural norm:
THEREFORE, I, Pat Quinn, Governor of the State of
Illinois, do hereby proclaim August 2011 as
BREASTFEEDING PROMOTION MONTH in Illinois, to
increase public awareness, support and acceptance of
breastfeeding.