Capital Area Breastfeeding Coalition

The Capital Area Breastfeeding Coalition is a team of breastfeeding professionals, LCs, RNs, La Leche League leaders and breastfeeding advocates in the Mid-Michigan / Lansing, Michigan area. This group formed to better serve and support breastfeeding mothers via education, advocacy and resource support.The goal is to increase the number and duration of women in the Lansing, Michigan area who initiate and continue exclusive breastfeeding through the recommended time period.

Initiatives of the Coalition:

• Improve the state of breastfeeding in Mid-Michigan by:
• Working to support pending legislation that will make breastfeeding in public a mother’s civil right.
• Hosting breastfeeding and baby-friendly spaces at local festivals and events to offer mothers and children a place to relax, feed & gather
• Developing a kit for doctors to educate their expecting patients about breastfeeding.

Who should join the coalition:

Health professionals, community health advocates, breastfeeding advocates, activists, legislators, parents.

We meet monthly (see right for event calendar.) Meetings include dinner (and wine) and young children are welcome, please contact us via our Facebook page if you need childcare.

Healthy Hometown Hero Award will be presented to Ann Siegle on Wednesday, April 25 at 11:30 in the Capitol Rotunda.  Let Ann know if you’re planning to attend this wonderful event!

New website  up and running– go to -http://www.mibreastfedbaby.com/-keep watching as this site transitions and grows to include other coalitions statewide.

Resource Guide–the capital area resource guide will be finalized for distribution this summer– watch for news about an envelope stuffing party.

East Lansing Art Fest– The coalition is sponsoring a Mom’s tent at the festival– it will be in the Kid’s Corner in the the parking lot behind Beggar’s Banquet. Lots of great gifts have been donated, and plans made for setting up the tent, chairs and art easels for kids.  If you haven’t yet signed up to be a host for a time slot, please do so.

Fall Open House-- Coalition members will be deciding whether to host another Open House Reception  this year, before the election.

Next meeting:  June 18, 19 or 20 at Tria Marketing and Design.  5:30 – 7:30

This week is the deadline for submitting nominations for the BFN Breastfeeding Awards. Four recipients will be chosen. The nomination form is below. Any person, agency, business, etc. that has helped to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding in Michigan would be considered.

MISSION of the Michigan Breastfeeding Network (BFN) is to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding as a vital part of the health and development of children, their families, and the community.

PURPOSE of BFN awards is to recognize outstanding service and achievement of individuals and/or organizations in the area of breastfeeding and human lactation.

CRITERIA Recipients will have demonstrated a strong commitment to the promotion, protection or support of breastfeeding. Any individual or organization that fit these criteria may be nominated.

DEADLINE for nominations is April 10, 2012

CATEGORIES:

Health Care Community (Example: Lactation Consultant, Physician, Hospital, Health Care Administrator)

This nominee should be someone who has made a difference in breastfeeding outcomes by the support or education of families and/or staff in the health care community.

Business This nominee should demonstrate support for their breastfeeding employees with space, time and/or education or has contributed to making a breastfeeding friendly community.

Community This nominee should demonstrate support of breastfeeding in their volunteer work. This could include La Leche League, breastfeeding coalitions, a volunteer coalition member, or other similar affiliations.

Public Health This nominee should demonstrate support for breastfeeding by education of staff or clients in the public health arena and is reflected by improved breastfeeding outcomes.

Please use the form on page 2 to make your nomination.  Attach a letter (no more than 2 pages) supporting your nomination and a curriculum vitae (CV) or brief biographical sketch of the nominee.  Please inform the nominee of your intentions.

Please send all nomination information to:

Barb Jammer, 4505 E Letts Rd, Midland,MI 48642, bjammer@hotmail.com

              Award Nomination Form

Name of Nominee:

Credentials (if applicable)

Street Address:

City, State, Zip:

Phone: 

Email:

Nominator(s):

Street Address:

City, State, Zip: 

Phone:

Email:

___ Text of no more than 2 double spaced pages is attached

___ Nominee is aware of this nomination

___A CV/biographical sketch is attached

Deadline for nominations is April 10, 2012

Send requested information to Barb Jammer bjammer@hotmail.com

The Michigan Public Health Week Partnership has chosen CABC member Ann Siegle to receive a 2012 Hometown Health Hero award. This award recognizes individuals and organizations across the state working tirelessly to maintain and improve the health of their local communities.

Michigan will celebrate Public Health Week on April 23-27, 2012.  The theme this year is “A Healthier America Begins Today: Join the Movement.”  The Hometown Health Hero award is a major part of the annual Public Health Week observance in Michigan.

The Public Health Week 2012 event will be held at the Capitol Rotunda at 11:30 am on April 25.  This is a special event to recognize all of Michigan’s Hometown Health Heroes and Health Policy Champions.

Congratulations to Ann and the CABC on receiving this honor!

USBC Letter–CABC members signed a letter to Sparrow Hospital, asking for discontinuation of “gift bag” distribution  at hospital discharge.

New website–  The CABC website will be moved to a new domain, which will allow it to link to all Michigan breastfeeding coalitions and provide a statewide breastfeeding resource. Plans are to create a Google calendar for the website and also to include an OB/GYN kit on the website.

East Lansing Art Festival– Ann will create a sign up sheet for shifts of volunteers to staff the CABC “Rock and Rest” tent. Gift basket assignments were made, and supplies need to be purchased:  art supplies, cups, water.

Next meeting:       Wednesday, April 18, 5:30 – 7:30 at Tria Marketing and Design, 1103 N. Washington Ave, Lansing

A policy statement released from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reaffirms the organization’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life. “Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk” is currently available online and will be published in the March 2012 edition of the journal Pediatrics.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2012/02/22/peds.2011-3552.full.pdf

Letter to hospitals:  Coalition members agreed to sign a letter to be sent to area hospitals, urging them to immediately discontinue the distribution of commercial infant formula manufacturer discharge bags. Letter is based on a sample from the US Breastfeeding Committee. Finalized letter to be available at the next CABC meeting in March, for all to sign.

Hometown Health Hero: Coalition will nominate Ann Siegle as a Hometown Health Hero for her work in design and marketing for Coalition activities over the past year.  Three cheers for Ann! HHeros who are selected will have their award presented at the Capitol on April 25.

Coalition Resource list is nearing completion, and last-minute changes should be emailed asap to Ann Siegle for inclusion in the print version, and to update the website version.

Website: Ann has registered a new URL to be used for the coalition in the future.  The new URL, mibreastfedbaby.org would also be able to house local coalition information from all Michigan coalitions.

East Lansing Art Fest:  May 19 – 20 . Plans are coming together for a Coalition “rock and rest” tent.  Sign-up sheet for shifts at the tent and set-up crew coming soon.

Michigan BF Network Quarterly Meeting:  March 21 at St. John’s Hospital and Medical Center.  See Calendar item on webpage for more information and contact Beth McLellan to RSVP  517 851-2166 or mclellan.beth@gmail.com

Next  CABC Meeting:  Wednesday, February 22, 5:30 – 7:30 at Tria Marketing and Design, 1103 N. Washington Ave., Lansing. Everyone is welcome.  For questions, call Ann Siegle at 886-9708.

The Capital Area Breastfeeding coalition met to review our most recent activities.  The East Lansing Art Festival (May 19 – 20)  has approved our request to host a tent.  Members will be asked to assist in creating a resource list for the event, and to locate chairs, water,  changing pads, carpet.  Mark your calendar to attend the event, and sign up to help staff the tent!

Coalition members met with Director Olga Dazzo of the Michigan Department of Community Health on December 16.  The discussion was positive, and MDCH is supportive– “Healthy Michigan starts with the breast”.  Follow-up communications will be made.

Anne Scott, graduate student at MSU, discussed her research project– she is looking to understand the role of social support in breastfeeding choices of Capital Area low-income mothers.

The Million Mothers March will be held in Lansing July 18.

MiHealth Tool to be tested by Coalition members– The Community Coalition Asseessment Tool (CCAT) assesses the effectiveness of coalitions.

Next  CABC Meeting:  Wednesday, February 22, 5:30 – 7:30 at Tria Marketing and Design, 1103 N. Washington Ave., Lansing. Everyone is welcome.  For questions, call Ann Siegle at 886-9708.