Human milk has the right composition of nutrients to support a growing infant and antibodies that may serve as protection from several infections. In addition to several physical benefits for parents and infants, breastfeeding also produces oxytocin and prolactin which promote stress reduction and positive feelings in the nursing parent. Yet, external factors often hamper a parent’s ability to breast/chestfeeding their infant, one of them being access to clean and safe lactation facilities while they are on the go. Lactating parents sometimes need a quiet room to nourish their infants — a calm, restful space for efficient and safe feeding or pumping.
Last August, during National Breastfeeding Month, HealthConnect One partnered with the Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake City to celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness month with a new Lactation Room. With this initiative, the consulate’s goal was to provide a more complete, equitable service for families and promote breastfeeding in the community.
“The goal is to provide more services to women in the state of Utah, as part of a binational strategy in support of the mayor of Salt Lake County,” said Mexican consul José Borjón.
The lactation room provides a private space for individuals who need to breastfeed their babies while visiting the Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake City. After weeks of campaigning, the room was equipped with a rocking chair, diaper changing station, fridge, and other high-demand items.
Every day hundreds of Mexicans go to the Consulate in the city to carry out various procedures and now breastfeeding/chestfeeding parents will not have to leave their babies with someone else or miss a scheduled appointment.
Telemundo and Univision covered the launch of the location room! We’re grateful for the support from our partners and allies during the campaign and for helping us reach our #FirstFoodEquity goal to increase breastfeeding intention, initiation, and duration for Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities and their families.