Wilson Memorial Hospital has been honored by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) with the Healthy Ohio Breastfeeding Friendly Award and the Healthy Ohio Breastfeeding Friendly Business Award. Wilson Memorial is working to improve the health of our community’s littlest members. Children who are breastfed have a reduced risk of many health problems including diabetes, asthma, childhood cancer and obesity.
“Wilson Memorial’s breastfeeding initiatives give mothers the support, confidence and skills to successfully breastfeed their babies," said Jana Schnippel, RNc-EFM, BSN/ Director of the Family Birth Center at Wilson Memorial. "We encourage exclusive breastfeeding for six months to reduce the risk for infections especially in the first year of life and for optimal nutrition for the baby. We are excited about the opportunity to retain and encourage valuable employees through our breastfeeding program while promoting healthy families.”
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, supporting breastfeeding at the workplace can reduce absenteeism rates on the part of new mothers and increases their productivity.
Wilson Memorial is one of only 23 employers in Ohio that are being recognized by the ODH for their implementation of breastfeeding friendly policies and practices in the worksite and one of 13 to receive the award for accommodation for their breastfeeding clients or customers.
About Healthy Ohio Breastfeeding Friendly Awards
Ohio is committed to promoting and protecting a mother’s right to breastfeed her child for as long as she chooses, whether or not she returns to work. Doctors recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after birth for the optimal health of a mother and her child. Children who are breastfed have reduced risk of many health problems such as diabetes, asthma, childhood cancer and obesity.
The ODH and other breastfeeding advocates around the state developed the Healthy Ohio Breastfeeding Friendly Employer Award to acknowledge employers who establish and maintain comprehensive, high-quality breastfeeding support programs for their employees.
The ODH’s Healthy Ohio Breastfeeding Friendly Business award recognizes businesses that also provide accommodations for their breastfeeding customers or clients.
The Healthy Ohio Breastfeeding Friendly Employer Award and Healthy Ohio Breastfeeding Friendly Business Awards are awarded annually. The 2015 applications will be available online in the summer of 2015. For more information about the award and other ways the ODH supports healthy behavior, please visit www.healthy.ohio.gov.