BREASTFEEDING AND SAFE SLEEP SUPPORT SERVICES OFFERED

Mom, Merritt Miller, and one of her 3- month-old twin daughters with breastfeeding materials and swaddle sack provided by the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County after receiving free information by the Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition’s Upper Keys Community Liaison.

(Monroe County, Fla.)– The Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition in partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County want to reassure new and soon-to-be moms and their families in the Florida Keys that there is free support available for breastfeeding and safe sleep.

Exclusive breastfeeding offers nutritional benefits for the baby and other key benefits for moms. In addition to providing ideal nutrition, six months of exclusive breastfeeding protects against common childhood illnesses and boosts the immune systems of both mother and baby. This is especially important this year in the midst of an ongoing global pandemic. The WHO and CDC recommend that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development, and health.

Free resources, including swaddle sacks are offered locally. The CDC and AAP recommend swaddle sacks as opposed to blankets to promote safe sleep for infants in order to reduce the risk of suffocation, overheating, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. These and other outreach initiatives will be supplemented by existing Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition services and resources, including breastfeeding education and support provided by an Internationally Board- Certified Lactation Consultant, provision of baby beds and pack ‘n’ plays through the Keys to Kids Safety program, and close working partnerships with WIC, local hospitals, and medical providers.

For free support, information, and safe sleep swaddle sacks, call the Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition at (305) 293-8424. For additional support please call WIC at the Florida Department of Health at (305) 293-7500.

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