Fun Facts: August 2024


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Fun Facts: August 2024

Wellness Wisdom: Activities for Building Happy, Healthy Families

August is National Breastfeeding Month! This month we not only celebrate moms who nurse their babies, but we celebrate the moms who exclusive pump, those who donate their breast milk, those who breastfed for 2 weeks or 2 years! No matter how long or how much breast milk you provided to your baby, you’re a rockstar!

Here are some of the benefits you gave to your baby through your milk:

  • Better brain development
  • Lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
  • Fewer illnesses and hospitalizations
  • Less diarrhea and constipation
  • Less colic, gas, and spitting up
  • Fewer ear, respiratory, and urinary tract infections
  • Lower risk of allergies and asthma
  • Reduced risk of childhood and adult obesity
  • Reduced risk of some childhood cancers
  • Reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes later in life
  • Reduced risk of multiple sclerosis
  • Reduced risk of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
  • Helps promote proper jaw, tooth, & speech development
  • Easier to transition to solids as breast milk offers a variety of tastes and flavors based on mother’s diet
  • Special time for mom and baby to bond

Great job, Mom!

Breastfed From the Start: Helpful Tips for Mastering Breastfeeding

Hand Expression

Hand expression is a great way to not only express breast milk but also to help relieve engorgement in those early days! Did you know that hand expression is also more effective than pumping?!

Follow these steps for proper hand expression of breast milk:

 

Check out this video to see how it is done!

Delicious & Nutritious Recipes: Simple, Kid Approved Dishes to Try at Home

Chinese Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups of red and Napa cabbage
  • 1 medium cucumber
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • ½ cup fresh, chopped cilantro
  • 1/3 cup chopped green onions
  • ½ cup sliced almonds (optional)

Directions:

  1. Wash prep area, your hands and vegetables.
  2. Shred cabbage. Peel and dice cucumbers and carrots.
  3. Chop green onions and cilantro.
  4. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except almonds.
  5. Top with sliced almonds and a dressing of your choice.

Tip: Make Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing for this salad dressing. Find the recipe at WIChealth.org in the HealthE Kitchen!