BABY CAFÉ OPENS AT JOHN R. OISHEI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL TO PROVIDE ONGOING BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT FOR MOMS

BUFFALO, NY, January 9, 2018 – Opening today, the new Baby Café at Oishei Children’s Hospital will offer free ongoing breastfeeding support and education for all new and expectant mothers throughout Western New York.

Part of the Baby Café USA network, the new Baby Café at Oishei Children’s Hospital provides moms with peer-to-peer breastfeeding support and individualized assessments and education from lactation consultants. The Baby Café offers support in all aspects of breastfeeding – from prenatal and postpartum to weaning, as well as assistance with pumping and maintaining supplies if mom returns to work outside the home. The free, weekly drop-in sessions are staffed by International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), Certified Lactation Counselors (CLCs), as well as Oishei Children’s Hospital nurses and physicians who are specially-trained to assist breastfeeding families with a consistent high level of care.

Breastfeeding, with its many known health benefits for infants, children and mothers, is a key strategy to improve public health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months, with continued breastfeeding alongside introduction of complementary foods for at least one year. According to the CDC’s 2015 state-by-state Breastfeeding Report Card, 80.1% of infants born in New York State were breastfed at some point postpartum, while only 25.3% of infants were breastfed exclusively through the recommended first six months.

“It’s going to be a really great resource for the women and families of Western New York to help with everyday concerns about breastfeeding. The family and community-based educational support and guidance offered by the nurses and doctors at Oishei Children’s Hospital, as well as other moms, is critical to increase breastfeeding rates and secure positive health outcomes for newborns,” according to Courtney Wahowski, RN, IBCLC at John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital.

The Oishei Children’s Hospital Baby Café offers:

  • Free, individualized breastfeeding assessments by specially-trained lactation consultants
  • Educational resources
  • Open forum discussions on a variety of topics in a relaxing atmosphere
  • Opportunity to seek and offer support to other mothers, share tips and socialize
  • Privacy screens available
  • Healthy snacks and refreshments available

The Baby Café at Oishei Children’s Hospital will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. every Wednesday in the Moore for Kids Family Resource Center located on the 5th floor at the hospital. All new and expectant mothers and their family members, kids and partners are welcome to attend. Free valet parking and light refreshments will be provided.

For more information or to learn more about the Baby Café at Oishei Children’s Hospital, contact Courtney Wahowski, RN, IBCLC at cwahowski@kaleidahealth.org or (716) 323-1838.