|
 Back
to the Table of Contents
Volunteer
Breastfeeding Buddies Program -
A First for Health Unit
Breastfeeding
is the healthy, natural way to feed your baby.
If offers protection for infants against
respiratory diseases, ear infections, urinary
tract infections, allergies, eczema,
gastrointestinal infections and diabetes.
In June of 1999, the Health Unit initiated the
Breastfeeding Buddies Program. This program
utilizes volunteers to enhance support to
breastfeeding mothers and facilitates an
increase in the breastfeeding knowledge and
skills of parents.
It
is the first program in the Health Unit to use
volunteers to enhance public health service to
the public. The program offers telephone
support and encouragement to breastfeeding
mothers through the use of trained volunteers
who have access to public health nursing
consultation.
The
program was piloted in the Brockville/Gananoque
area with 9 volunteers in Brockville and 3
volunteers in Gananoque. This resulted in 13
volunteer-to-breastfeeding mother matches.
|
Leeds,
Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit -
Home Page 
