A celebration of World Breastfeeding Week in Fort Frances.
More than a dozen women and their children and others joined for a walk to Rainy Lake Square Thursday.
Northwestern Health Unit’s Melissa Wilson says part of it is to bring attention to a women’s right to breastfeed in public places.
“Any place that a mother is publicly allowed to be, she is allowed to be breastfeeding in public without being made to feel like uncomfortable, asked to move to a different location, or asked to cover up or anything like that,” says Wilson.
Wilson says the week also promotes the health benefits of breastfeeding.
“Including components from mom’s immune system that help prevent against infection. It lowers the risk of the child’s chances of obesity later in life, diabetes, or childhood cancers and reduces mom’s risk of cancers.”
Wilson adds a majority of women in the region do breast feed their babies and a majority want to.
“But sometimes they run into struggles along the way. So we just want women to know that they’re not on their own. They can reach out to their community health workers, their healthcare practitioners, at the Northwestern Health Unit we can provide support.”
Wilson says if women are struggling, it’s important to reach out for that support early.
