Juneau mom Ericka Beery sometimes breastfeeds at Fred Meyer. In the past, when nursing was still fairly new, she used to sit down in the furniture section to feed her son. Now, she can breastfeed her third child \u2014 a six-month-old daughter \u2014 while walking and shopping.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never feel weary of nursing anywhere in public in Juneau,\u201d the 34-year-old said.<\/p>\n
Beery was one of about 30 moms who sat together at the Wells Fargo Dimond Park Field House Saturday morning and breastfed their babies. They were all participating in The Big Latch On, a global celebration promoting and supporting breastfeeding.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s important to get the awareness out for new moms who are nervous about breastfeeding or breastfeeding in public. They can see how it\u2019s normal and it doesn\u2019t have to be a full-on exposing or it doesn\u2019t have to be a spectacle,\u201d Beery said. \u201cIt\u2019s not that everyone\u2019s watching you while you\u2019re nursing; people hardly even notice usually.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shakira Vallejo said it\u2019s important to normalize breastfeeding. Vallejo, 34, was born and raised in Juneau and moved to Seattle two years ago, but she still spends the summers here with family.<\/p>\n
\u201cNowadays, a lot of people don\u2019t look at it like it\u2019s normal, like it\u2019s taboo to breastfeed in public when it shouldn\u2019t be. The most natural thing in the world is to breastfeed your baby,\u201d she said, while nursing her 10-month-old daughter.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s read about and seen videos on the internet of difficulties mothers have faced while breastfeeding in public. It made her nervous to do it, \u201cbut then I said, \u2018My baby is hungry. I\u2019m going to feed her and I don\u2019t care what you think. If you don\u2019t like it, don\u2019t look,\u2019\u201d Vallejo said laughing.<\/p>\n
As a mom, in Seattle and Juneau, she breastfeeds \u201canywhere in public,\u201d like restaurants and airports.<\/p>\n
Vallejo was pleasantly surprised by the turnout at Juneau\u2019s first Big Latch On event.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t expect this many people to be breastfeeding all at the same time here. It was really nice to see and feel a lot of support,\u201d Vallejo said.<\/p>\n
The two-hour family event was organized by the Juneau Breastfeeding Alliance, a group of individuals and health care organizations, like Bartlett Regional Hospital; Juneau Public Health Center; the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program at SEARHC and Valley Medical Care.<\/p>\n
Shayna Rohwer, a perinatal educator at Bartlett and certified lactation counselor, is part of the alliance. She said the goal of The Big Latch On was to support breastfeeding moms and help them build connections.<\/p>\n
\u201cSupport is the best predictor of breastfeeding success \u2014 having support from your family, your partner and then from your community and workplace,\u201d Rohwer said.<\/p>\n
In Alaska, more than a third of mothers stop breastfeeding before their babies reach four weeks of age, according to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. Reasons include pain, not enough time and trouble helping their baby latch on.<\/p>\n
Rohwer said there are several free resources in Juneau that offer breastfeeding help and support, like four lactation consultants at Bartlett, baby groups at Bartlett and the Juneau Family Health and Birth Center, peer-to-peer support through the Breastfeeding Cafe at the birth center and a Juneau Breastfeeding Cafe Facebook group.<\/p>\n
The Juneau Breastfeeding Alliance was initially created about four years ago to support women in the workplace. Rohwer said it\u2019s important for employers to support breastfeeding moms by providing accommodations like time and space (that\u2019s not a bathroom).<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great investment to make. Children have fewer illnesses, mothers have fewer sick days. Because of that, you have better employee performance and retention,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Juneau public health nurse Chastity Wilson said the benefits of breastfeeding extend to babies and moms. Breastfed babies are healthier overall than formula-fed babies, have less digestive issues, are easier to sooth, have less allergies, fewer ear infections, grow faster, have a decreased risk of obesity, among other things. Mothers who breastfeed have a decreased risk of cancer. Breastfeeding is also good for bonding and is more affordable.<\/p>\n
Wilson said not all communities are as supportive of breastfeeding as Juneau. When she lived in California and nursed her first child, people looked at her and made rude comments.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Juneau\u2019s great,\u201d she said. \u201cWomen are out walking trails with their babies latched on. I love it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Contact reporter Lisa Phu at 523-2246 or lisa.phu@juneauempire.com.<\/p>\n
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