PENNINGTON &

RED LAKE COUNTIES WELLNESS COALITION

NEWSLETTER August 2017 - provide life-long protection against many diseases (less obesity, diabetes) - promote healthy development - lower the risk of pneumonia, ear infections and SIDS At six months, baby foods are started. continues through at least the first year. is beneficial and protective beyond the first year as well.

1 - 7 August, 2017 Breast Milk is

PERFECT NUTRITION August is National Breastfeeding It provides everything baby needs to grow Awareness Month with Charting the Course and develop

Together! as the theme for 2017.

Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition Why Breastfeeding Is Important www.mnbreastfeedingcoalition.org Breastfeeding is GOOD for Families Breastfeeding is convenient. The milk is always ready and warm. There is nothing to mix or prepare for feeding. Breastfeeding saves time. Breastfeeding is comforting for babies. Formula is harder for your baby to digest. Breastfed babies are rarely constipated, so they are less fussy. National Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance held in August to highlight the Breastfeeding is GOOD for Moms importance of vaccination for people of all ages. Women who breastfeed have less risk of breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and heart  Parents, vaccines play an important role in disease. protecting your child’s health. Breastfeeding can help you bond with your baby  College students, talk to your healthcare and protect against . professional about any vaccines you may need Breastfeeding can help you return to your pre- for school entry pregnant weight more quickly.  Adults, especially older adults or adults with chronic conditions, talk with your healthcare Breastfeeding is GOOD for Babies professional about vaccines you may need. Breastfeeding helps to keep babies healthy and  Pregnant women, there are vaccines for you to protected from infection. protect newborns from diseases like whooping Breast milk contains antibodies, growth factors, cough (pertussis) and flu. enzymes and hormones that:  Everyone, the next flu season is only a few - fight infections during infancy months away. www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niam.html

Safe Solar Eclipse Viewing Parenting Tips

The American Academy of As we walk around stores or are out for a walk in Ophthalmology and the American the parks in our community, you may see parents Astronomical Society are working with a “baby sling, front, back or hip carrier” to together to make sure everyone knows how to carry babies. We use them for convenience or watch the coming eclipse safely. just to have our little one close to us. The August 21 total solar eclipse will be a once-in-a- The practice of babywearing keeps babies in the lifetime event for many people. safest place possible — a parent’s arms, with Looking directly at the sun during a solar eclipse is baby’s face visible to the carrying adult. Babies unsafe, except during a brief phase when the moon are vulnerable in their first four months of life. entirely blocks the sun’s bright face. This phase is They require constant supervision, which is why called totality. The path of totality for the Aug. 21 babywearing is critical to the well-being of 2017 eclipse stretches from Oregon to South . Baby carriers are meant to mimic in- Carolina. Unless you’re in the path of totality, you arms carrying positions. Your baby should be in must protect your eyes or you could damage your the same position in which you would hold him retina, possibly causing blindness. in your arms.

Safe ways to watch the eclipse. Make your plans Here are a few safety tips to remember: now for how you’ll enjoy the show. 1. Read the instructions carefully.

 Use specially designed solar eclipse glasses and 2. Keep baby’s airway unobstructed. viewers to block the sun’s harmful rays. Ordinary sunglasses are not strong enough to 3. Take caution when bending over. protect your eyes. 4. Check baby frequently.  Keep your solar eclipse glasses on throughout the eclipse. 5. Look for wear and tear on the baby carrier.  Wearing solar eclipse glasses to look through a Remember when babies are young to wear them camera, binoculars or a telescope will not protect your eyes. Use only specially designed on your chest NOT your back. Babies’ neck filters for lenses. muscles are weak so you want to be constantly  Another way to see the eclipse is through a checking on them. Be sure your carrier provides pinhole projection or video display. adequate support for your baby’s developing neck and back. Make sure they are upright after A pinhole viewer lets you project an image of the feeding in case they spit up. You can always ask sun onto another surface, like paper, a wall or your pediatrician for advice. pavement. Then the image of the sun is safe to look at throughout the eclipse. You can learn how to Check out this website for more information: make a pinhole projector at www.babycarrierindustryalliance.org/babywearing- www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/how-to-make- safety/consumers/ a-pinhole-camera/ www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/how-to-safely- watch-great-american-eclipse-of-2017

NASA’s website: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/ was created to provide a guide to this amazing event. Public Health & Home Health Care They will have live video streams of the eclipse from Serving Pennington & Red Lake Counties locations across the country at 218-681-0876 TRF or 218-253-4378 RLF https://www.nasa.gov/eclipselive www.intercountynursingservice.com