VGM & ASSOCIATESHealthcare MSO

World Breastfeeding Week, Aug. 1-7, 2021

Published in Member Communities on August 04, 2021

Breastfeeding COVID-19August 1 – 7 is World Breastfeeding Week. This year’s theme is Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility. Breastfeeding has many benefits for infants, mothers, and children.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months while introducing complementary foods for at least one year.

Protecting breastfeeding means protecting the time working women need to give birth, recover, and breastfeed their children. Moms also require job security and assurances that their jobs are not jeopardized due to pregnancy or maternity leave. States, including Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are beginning to implement laws that help solidify

Being a new mom is hard, but being a new mom during the COVID-19 pandemic raises new questions. Is it safe to breastfeed? What if I have COVID or have been exposed to COVID? Should I breastfeed then? According to the CDC and WHO, mothers are still encouraged to remain together with their infants, practice skin-to-skin contact and/or kangaroo care whether or not they or their infants have been suspected, probable, or confirmed COVID-19 virus infection. Women with COVID-19 can breastfeed if they choose to do so.

Several states have passed or introduced legislation to help protect breastfeeding, including:

  • PA HB 1739, An Act providing for workplace accommodations for nursing mothers
  • WI AB 476, An act to require an employer to provide reasonable break time and accommodation for an employee who is breast-feeding
  • KY BR 257, An act relating to Medicaid coverage for lactation support services and breastfeeding equipment

H.R. 3110, PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, has been introduced on the federal level in the House of Representatives and currently has 8 co-sponsors as of August 4, 2021. 

VGM and Essentially Women are proud to partner with Ardo and Motif, who both offer breast pumps, breastfeeding accessories and more. For more information on each of these vendor partners, visit the vendor pages on the VGM member portal or the myEW member portal.

For more information on breastfeeding and World Breastfeeding Week, visit https://www.paho.org/en/campaigns/world-breastfeeding-week-campaign-2021#materials.

Resources:
World Breastfeeding Week Campaign 2021. (2021). Retrieved from: https://www.paho.org/en/campaigns/world-breastfeeding-week-campaign-2021
Breastfeeding Report Card United States, 2020.  (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/2020-Breastfeeding-Report-Card-H.pdf

Get Connected

Stay up-to-date on the latest resources and news provided by VGM & Associates.

Sign Up for Email

From Our Experts

U.S. Rehab Tech Training Coming to Philadelphia and Birmingham, AL thumbnail U.S. Rehab Tech Training Coming to Philadelphia and Birmingham, AL U.S. Rehab is excited to host Tech Training in Philadelphia July 26-27, 2022, and Birmingham, AL September 13-14, 2022. VGM or U.S. Rehab members can register now online. Enhancing Store Experience thumbnail Enhancing Store Experience As consumer behaviors continue to change, many predict and have seen that brick-and-mortar stores will remain an important avenue to engage consumers now and into the future, so how do you stand out among the competition? Rob Baumhover explains. VGM's 21st Heartland Conference Builds HME Community thumbnail VGM's 21st Heartland Conference Builds HME Community More than 1,000 people from across the U.S. and Canada converged June 13-15 in VGM's hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, for three unforgettable days at the 21st annual Heartland Conference. VGM's 21st Heartland Conference Builds HME Community thumbnail VGM's 21st Heartland Conference Builds HME Community More than 1,000 people from across the U.S. and Canada converged June 13-15 in VGM's hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, for three unforgettable days at the 21st annual Heartland Conference. Outcomes Driven by Clinical Respiratory Software and Analytics thumbnail Outcomes Driven by Clinical Respiratory Software and Analytics Patient outcomes are rapidly emerging as a powerful growth strategy. Collecting patient-focused measures and transforming that data into clinical metrics is the key to success in the respiratory DME model going forward. Limb Loss and Preservation Registry: What O&P Practitioners Need to Know thumbnail Limb Loss and Preservation Registry: What O&P Practitioners Need to Know The Limb Loss and Preservation Registry (LLPR) has been talked about for the past two to three years. Read more on why a registry is important and how to get involved. VGM's 21st Heartland Conference Brought the HME Community Together thumbnail VGM's 21st Heartland Conference Brought the HME Community Together VGM hosted its annual event from June 13-15 in Waterloo, Iowa. Iowa's Governor Kim Reynolds Signs the Work Comp Prosthetic Bill thumbnail Iowa's Governor Kim Reynolds Signs the Work Comp Prosthetic Bill Iowa bill H.F.2411, an act relating to replacements of permanent prosthetic devices for injured workers, signed by the Governor Reynolds.

Stay one step ahead of your competition.

Become a Member