Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD  –   Walter Reed National Military Medical Center acknowledges National Breastfeeding Month during August as an opportunity to raise awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding for infants and parents.

Walter Reed health care providers want parents to know that they are not alone in exploring the various feeding options for their newborn. With the help of resources such as infant feeding classes and lactation consultants, Walter Reed actively works to support and educate families on the breastfeeding experience.

“The benefits are enumerable for both mother and baby,” said Monica Brannon, a nurse and lactation consultant at Walter Reed. The benefits of breastfeeding go beyond additional bonding with the infant. She explains that breastfeeding may have increased health benefits. “It decreases the risk for certain types of cancers, illnesses, respiratory, and gastric [problems],” she said. This is possible because of nutrients in breastmilk adapt to the individual needs of the baby and are more easily absorbed by the infant compared to nutrients in formulas.

“Human milk cannot be replicated in a lab and there is nothing that we have that comes close to the components that are actually in human milk,” Brannon added.

Breastfeeding has additional benefits for mothers as well. “It has cardiac benefits for the mother and decreases her risk for developing type two diabetes,” Brannon shared. “In addition, breastfeeding can lower the risks of breast and ovarian cancer and high blood pressure,” she added.

“While breastfeeding provides a variety of benefits, it can still be an intimidating experience for parents embarking on it for the first time. As a Baby-Friendly certified hospital, it is our goal to ensure that patients at Walter Reed feel supported as they navigate this journey,” said Brannon.

“We have breastfeeding classes that we offer patients. We go over a number of things, including what to expect regarding feeding your baby, and what to expect with regards to feeding your baby in a Baby-Friendly facility. It is all about patient education so that they can make an informed choice,” Brannon explained.

Discussing breastfeeding strategies and addressing the needs of parents are critical components of Walter Reed's commitment to supporting families in achieving their feeding goals, Brannon continued. By implementing strategies developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Walter Reed continues to uphold its dedication to assisting all infants and their parents in their care, as well as maintaining its designation as a Baby-Friendly facility, one of the first in the Department of Defense to earn this distinction, Brannon added.

“We are a Baby-Friendly facility, and we follow the 10 steps of successful breastfeeding that was put together by [WHO] and UNICEF with the goal of increasing breastfeeding globally; we are one of only three military facilities in the country that have this designation,” Brannon added. "This prestigious certification recognizes facilities that prioritize the health and well-being of infants and mothers in their care. The successful implementation of these steps supports mothers and infants in exploring their feeding goals."

“It is not about mandating that parents need to provide human milk,” Brannon continued. “It’s about, 'These are the benefits and this is how we go about doing it. Whatever your feeding goal is, we are here to help you meet that goal.'”

In recognition of National Breastfeeding Month, the Walter Reed’s Mother and Infant Care Center (MICC) will host a Latch event on Aug. 29 at the sports pavilion on Naval Support Activity Bethesda behind the Uniformed Services University. The event will provide a welcoming environment for parents of breastfeeding infants to connect and engage with other breastfeeding families, Brannon explained.