ROWAN COUNTY — The first week of August is World Breastfeeding Week, and Rowan County Public Health is doing its part to spread awareness about various aspects of maternal-infant transmission.

One of the goals of the program is to inform about the prevalence of inequalities in breastfeeding support.

Ruth A. Gagliardi is a nutritionist, breastfeeding coordinator and breastfeeding peer counselor through Women, Infant and Children (WIC) with the Rowan County Public Health. Expanding on those inequalities, Gagliardi said, “Inequality may come from assumptions made about a mother’s plan to breastfeed based on her socioeconomic group, racial or ethnic group. Providing support for all moms means providing all women with information about why breastfeeding is good for moms and babies, finding out her individual breastfeeding goals and providing support to help her reach those goals.”

The website usbreastfeeding.org cites several more specific breastfeeding weeks.

• Black Breastfeeding Week (Aug. 25-31) “Black Breastfeeding Week was created in 2014 by a collective of Black leaders from the breastfeeding field and is celebrated annually from Aug. 25-31. The observance was developed as a response to the high black infant mortality rate, the lack of diversity in the lactation field, and unique cultural barriers among Black women, and shines a light on efforts and initiatives that support breastfeeding among Black families.”  
• Workplace Lactation Week (Sept. 1-7) “Workplace Lactation Week was created in 2023 and is celebrated annually from Sept. 1-7. The observance celebrates the contributions of nursing mothers and parents in the workplace and aligns with Labor Day, highlighting the vital role working and pumping parents play in the workforce.​”
• Semana de la Lactancia Latina (September 3-9) “Semana de La Lactancia Latina was created in 2023 by the Union de Lideres de Lactancia Latino (Latinx Lactation Collective) and is celebrated annually on the first Tuesday following Labor Day to the following Monday, this year Sept. 3-9. The observance aims to uplift voices from the Latino/x community and celebrate the diverse cultures and resilience of Latino communities. The collective also strives to bring awareness to the unique barriers faced by these communities and advocates for language justice.”

Gagliardi indicated that she has seen a lot of changes in the perception of breastfeeding in her career. 

 “I have been working in public health for over 20 years,” she said. “In that time, attitudes toward breastfeeding have changed. In general, people are more likely to express an interest in breastfeeding and be knowledgeable about the health benefits of breastfeeding now than they were 20 years ago.”

Recently (2022), the American Academy of Pediatrics changed their recommendations regarding breastfeeding. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for approximately six months after birth. Furthermore, the AAP supports continued breastfeeding, along with appropriate complementary foods introduced at about six months, as long as mutually desired by mother and child for two years or beyond. 

Previously, that group recommended breastfeeding until the age of one. There are health benefits to extended breastfeeding, but this is not as common in the U.S. as it is in other parts of the world.

As a counselor, Gagliardi works with a lot of mothers. 

“All WIC staff are trained to offer some level of breastfeeding support, depending on their role,” she said. “We have a breastfeeding peer counselor who can offer one-to-one support for WIC clients who plan to breastfeed or are breastfeeding through education, referrals, encouragement and hands-on assistance.” 

WIC, along with Life Choices Rowan and Families First N.C., Inc are sponsoring a breastfeeding support group that will meet Aug. 21, at 1 p.m. at Life Choices Rowan’s location, 847 South Main Street, Salisbury. Call 704-633-7695 to reserve a spot. 

WIC has many educational materials available, and the state WIC program is one sponsor of Ready Set Baby Live Online Classes. 

“We have a breast pump loan program for moms and babies that qualify,” Gagliardi said. 

For breastfeeding mothers, nutrition is vital and that involves the food they eat. Gagliardi recommended fruits, vegetables, legumes, low-fat dairy and whole grains. 

Breastfeeding is not always ideal, as every person, mother and child is different, so not all rules apply without exceptions. 

“There are sometimes circumstances for infants (example prematurity) that make latching on the breast difficult and mom may pump breast milk instead of latching,” Gaglardi said.

“Individually, women may decide that combining breastfeeding with formula use is best for their circumstances. Each woman must decide, based on her individual circumstances, what the best way to feed her infant is.”

Discovering which one is right might require a little research or even counseling.

Gagliardi and the rest of the staff with WIC at Rowan County Public Health are eager to assist, so consider giving them a call or stopping by. The department is located at 1811 E. Innes St., Salisbury. The number is 704-216-8818.