PENN MEDICINE PRINCETON HEALTH RECOGNIZED FOR SUPPORTING BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS AT WORK
PLAINSBORO, NJ, December 15, 2019 — In an effort to commend, celebrate and increase the number of New Jersey worksites that support breastfeeding employees, the New Jersey Breastfeeding Coalition, Inc. (NJBC) has selected Penn Medicine Princeton Health as a NJ Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite. The award certificate was presented Wednesday, November 20, at Princeton Medical Center, which is part of the Princeton Health system.
Princeton Health was recognized for important breastfeeding supportive practices including providing employees with reasonable breaks to express milk or to nurse their child and access to a private space for expressing milk or nursing. Studies show that simple worksite support practices increase the duration of breastfeeding among employed mothers. Research also shows that breastfed babies have fewer illnesses, contributing to less employee absenteeism.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months with breastfeeding to continue, with the introduction of solid foods, at least until the baby is 12 months old. Abundant research has revealed short-term and lifelong health benefits of breastfeeding for mother and child. However, many mothers cite return to work as a reason for early discontinuation of breastfeeding.
“I am extremely grateful to Penn Medicine Princeton Health,” said Kristyn Compitello, BSN, IBCLC. “It was important to me to continue to provide expressed breast milk to my sons upon returning to work. The support of my fellow coworkers and the use of the private pumping room allowed me to succeed at my goal of exclusively breastfeeding both of my sons for greater than 12 months each.”
“At Penn Medicine Princeton Health, we take an active approach to breastfeeding support”, said Ellen Winkle, MSN, RNC-OB, IBCLC, C-EFM, Chair, Great Beginnings Hospital Initiative Committee at the hospital. “We offer prenatal, inpatient, and community-based breastfeeding education and support programs. Our Maternal Child Health Department has nurses who are Board Certified Lactation Consultants and Certified Breastfeeding Counselors, and all of our staff receive breastfeeding education to support patient breastfeeding goals. In order to better serve our breastfeeding guests and staff, Princeton Health is building a second pumping room in our beautiful first floor Atrium. We are passionate about giving new mothers and babies the best start possible!”
The NJBC encourages all New Jersey employers to learn about and become a Breastfeeding-Friendly Worksite and then to complete the simple self-assessment at http://breastfeedingnj.org/breastfeeding-friendly-worksite-recognition-program/.
The New Jersey Breastfeeding Coalition, Inc. is a collaboration of health professionals and community representatives whose mission is to promote, protect and support breastfeeding, by working collaboratively. For more information about the New Jersey Breastfeeding Coalition, visit www.breastfeedingnj.org.
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HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH – JERSEY SHORE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER RECOGNIZED FOR SUPPORTING BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS AT WORK
Neptune, NJ, May 16, 2017 – In an effort to commend, celebrate and increase the number of NJ worksites that support breastfeeding employees, the New Jersey Breastfeeding Coalition (NJBC) has selected Hackensack Meridian Health-Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC), as a “NJ Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite”. The award was presented at the Neptune, NJ hospital.
This is the 1st hospital in NJ to be recognized by the NJBC for breastfeeding supportive practices including providing the availability of reasonable breaks to express milk or to nurse their child and access to a private space for expressing milk or nursing their child. Studies show that simple worksite support practices increase the duration of breastfeeding among employed mothers. Research also shows that breastfed babies have fewer illnesses contributing to less employee absenteeism.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months with breastfeeding to continue, with the introduction of solid foods, at least until the baby is 12 months old. Abundant research has revealed short term and lifelong health benefits of breastfeeding for mother and child. However, many mothers cite return to work as a reason for early discontinuation of breastfeeding.
“I’m extremely grateful,” said Kellyn Riedemann, an Outcomes Analyst at JSUMC. “It was important to me to be able to keep up a full supply of breastmilk for my 1 year old son. In addition, I met other breastfeeding moms in our private room and was able to provide support to new breastfeeding moms as they were just returning to work.”
Joyce (McKeever) Thompson, Clinical Program Manager at JSUMC said, “It is very gratifying to provide our team members with a clean, private place to pump their milk for their babies’ right at the worksite. This allows team members to feel comfortable returning to work in a supportive environment that encourages breastfeeding as the best nutrition for babies. We’ve provided this support since 1992.”
The NJBC encourages all NJ employers to learn more about becoming a breastfeeding-friendly worksite and then to complete the simple self-assessment at http://breastfeedingnj.org/breastfeeding-friendly-worksite-recognition-program/ .
The New Jersey Breastfeeding Coalition is a collaboration of health professionals and community representatives whose mission is to improve the health of New Jersey families by working collaboratively to promote, protect and support breast/chestfeeding. For more information about the NJBC, visit www.breastfeedingnj.org.
