The Breastfeeding Committee of the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) will hold a Breastfeeding Expo at the SMMC on Friday, September 25th, 2015 from 7:00pm – 9:00pm.
The Breastfeeding Expo is to promote breastfeeding as the best nutrition for babies and support and educate families who choose this option for their babies.
At this free event, a variety of information and resources will be available to breastfeeding and soon-to-be breastfeeding families.
Educare Foundation will help parents plan and prepare to continue breastfeeding after returning to work. Daycare centers and caretakers also have a shared responsibility with breastfeeding parents to ensure that breast milk is stored, handled, and fed in a safe manner. Such child care professionals will also benefit from the Expo.
A Dietician at the Expo will give nutritional information about breastmilk and give recommendations about how and when they can introduce solid foods in the child’s diet.
Special attention will also be given to breastfeeding mothers. Finding the ‘perfect bra’ is challenging for many women, even more so breastfeeding mothers. Tee’s Closet will be present at the Expo with a selection of nursing bras and fitting tips.
Another special treat for mothers is a make-up booth. “Sometimes mothers are working so hard to take care of their families that they neglect themselves. We want to pamper the mothers and give easy-to-do beauty tips,” says breastfeeding team leader Nurse Carleen Griffith.
“It is an opportunity to interact with other breastfeeding mothers and share and learn from one another.
Mothers should use this opportunity to ask questions that are not clear to them while enjoying being pampered,” Supervisor OBGYN Ward Sherryl Carty.
Due to bad weather in the month of August, the Breastfeeding Expo was one of a few breastfeeding awareness activities that were rescheduled.
During the year, information sessions will continue to be held to educate families and empower them to provide the best nutrition for their babies.