Spotlighting Breastfeeding Awareness Month by Unveiling Lactation Room Renovations

Mecklenburg County Public Health has been celebrating Breastfeeding Awareness Month with education and action. Parents and breastfeeding advocates have participated in educational opportunities throughout the month. The month is dedicated to supporting mothers, lactating parents, and the collective work to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. For more information, visit usbreastfeeding.org.

The Mecklenburg County Public Health Initiative Improving Community Outcomes for Maternal and Child Health (ICO4MCH) works collaboratively within Mecklenburg and Union counties to improve birth outcomes, reduce infant mortality, and improve health among children aged zero to five. ICO4MCH aims to encourage reproductive life planning, support breastfeeding success, and promote positive parenting.

“We’ve had an exciting month of helping women, and their support systems learn more about the importance of breastfeeding. Our Latch on and Get Pumped Baby Sprinkle event prepared new moms for breastfeeding success and equipped them with resources and education to continue breastfeeding when returning to work or school,” said ICO4MCH Program Manager Cathy Henderson.

The Making It Work Toolkit is a resource to help breastfeeding mothers return to work. It is designed to help breastfeeding mothers, their families, and their employers. Once they return to work, they can continue expressing their milk around the time their baby normally breastfeeds. The United States has laws to accommodate nursing mothers in the workplace.

Guided by the Making It Work Toolkit, ICO4MCH remodeled breastfeeding spaces in Mecklenburg County buildings and local businesses. The remodel included a recliner chair, wall art, a mini fridge, door signage, and more to make the space inviting and comfortable for employees and clients.

“We are pleased with the remodel of the breastfeeding spaces. We want our lactating parents to have welcoming and intentional spaces to provide nutrition for their babies,” said Dr. Kimberly Scott, Mecklenburg County Public Health Assistant Director of Population Health. “Studies show that 3 out of 4 mothers and lactating parents choose to breastfeed their newborn babies, these spaces provide a new level of commitment to those parents and their families in our community.”

Here are the newly renovated spaces for breastfeeding moms in Mecklenburg County:

Mecklenburg County Buildings:

Hal Marshall Annex

Northwest Health Department

Southeast Health Department

Biddle Point

Valerie C. Woodard

Union County:

Union County Health Department (WIC)

Union County Public Libraries

Union County Community Action Head Start

Mecklenburg County Businesses:

Charlotte Convention Center

Howard Levine Child Development Center

YMCA Stratford Richardson

Faith-Based Organizations:

Calvary Christian Church

Greenville AME Zion Church