Date: Fri 02-Oct-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: JAN

Quick Words:

Drug-Center-breast-feeding

Full Text:

Breast Feeding Initiative Announced

(with cut)

BY JAN HOWARD

The Drug Center of Newtown and Danbury Hospital are combining their efforts to

alert pregnant women and new mothers about the benefits of breast feeding

their infants.

The joint initiative was announced September 25 at the Drug Center by store

owner Donald Bates, Cathryn Dahlmeyer, the store's health coordinator, Dr

Eitan Kilchevsky, a neonatologist with Newborn Health Specialists and the

Office of Physician Services, and Gib Trachtenburg, director of Business

Health Services of Danbury Hospital.

Through informative brochures, the educational phase is geared to the period

prior to birth and from 12 to 18 months after.

In addition to providing information about breast feeding, the Drug Center

carries all nursing equipment and supplies, including breast pumps and

supplies needed to succeed in expressing milk, and videos and other pamphlets.

One of the pamphlets provided by the Drug Center and the hospital lists the

value of breast feeding to infants. It describes preparation for breast

feeding, what to do after delivery, nutritional value, breast milk supply and

demand, breast feeding and diet, what to expect during breast feeding, and

expressing breast milk for later use.

Pamphlets, such as this, will be provided to the Well Child Clinic in Sandy

Hook and to the Visiting Nurse Association and to obstetricians and

pediatricians in the area, Ms Dahlmeyer said.

The initiative came about as a result of a story about the Drug Center in the

July 10 issue of The Newtown Bee , which discussed actions the store was

taking on health-related issues.

Dr Kilchevsky said Danbury Hospital is strongly supportive of breast feeding

because it is the preferred nutrition for infants during the first year of

life. The program with the Drug Center was initiated because the store has

shown a strong commitment to health issues, he noted.

The program is exclusively with the Drug Center for the region east of Danbury

Hospital, though Dr Kilchevsky said a similar program may be launched with a

pharmacy west of the hospital.

"We want all breast feeding mothers to come here for their supplies and

information," Dr Kilchevsky said. "We want them to feel good about it. It is

the best way to nurture their baby."

"Breastfeeding is good for the mothers and for the babies," Mr Bates said.

Ms Dahlmeyer said the Drug Center provides "someplace you can call if you have

a problem" regarding breast feeding. "When you come to the Drug Center, there

is information available here."

Dr Kilchevsky said Danbury Hospital and the Drug Center will be available to

new mothers who have questions about breast feeding.

"We want them to call, to go to the next step for more instruction. We want to

help them achieve their goal of exclusive breast feeding," he said.

Mr Bates said area obstetricians and pediatricians will be advised of the

breast feeding program and the materials and information available to new

mothers.

For information about breast feeding, contact the Drug Center of Newtown at

426-4505 or Dr. Kilchevsky or Dr Edward James of Newborn Health Specialists

and the Danbury Office of Physician Services at Danbury Hospital, Monday to

Friday, at 203/797-7150.