WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG 100 BROOKLYN NEWS WWW.BROOKLYN-WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG USA.ORG BREASTFEEDING It’s a maternal milestone! Borough President Adams’ agenda has prioritized policies that make it easier to raise healthy children and families in Brooklyn, from advocating for paid parental leave to promoting safe sleep practices for infants and toddlers. In April of 2015, Borough President Adams first launched Family Friendly Brooklyn, a comprehensive initiative which, in part, called for expanding the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s (DOHMH) Breastfeeding Empowerment Zone. Just a month later, he opened Brooklyn Borough Hall’s Lactation Lounge, which provides members of the public a safe space to breastfeed or express milk with a hospital-grade pump, if they choose to do so in private; a ribbon-cutting for the new room, furnished by Delta Children, Worksites for Wellness, and WellCare, took place on Mother’s Day amidst dozens of mothers and their breastfeeding babies. “We know that breastfeeding is a crucial component of a healthy young life, a natural act that strengthens both mother and child,” said Borough President Adams. “My office is committed to advancing this public health imperative, and the Lactation Lounge is a permanent space to further that commitment.” That day also marked the start of a legislative journey to make these nurturing sites available citywide. In partnership with Council Member Robert Cornegy, Jr. — the first elected official in New York City to open a public breastfeeding room in his or her office — Borough President Adams crafted legislation that would require certain public buildings to provide access to similar lactation lounges to the breastfeeding and pumping public. This August, after countless hours of advocacy, that partnership finally bore fruit right where it began — at Brooklyn Borough Hall. Alongside scores of mothers and their babies, as well as Borough President Adams and leading advocates, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law what is believed to be the first-ever lactation room law in the United States. Under Local Law 94, a clean, private, and safe lactation History in Brooklyn Borough President Adams and Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo held a “Breastfeeding Is Welcome Here” sign during a Brooklyn rally for the Global Big Latch-On rally that he held on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall, where dozens of moms breastfed in unison to help further normalize breastfeeding. room with an electrical outlet and access to running water will be made available at every job center, SNAP center, medical assistance program center of the New York City Department of Social Services/Human Resources Administration (DSS/ HRA), City-owned borough office of the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), as well as every health center operated or maintained by DOHMH. “The creation of publicly-accessible spaces as Photo Credit: Stefan Ringel/Brooklyn BP’s Office a choice for breastfeeding and expressing milk empowers mothers to bond with their children in a safe, comfortable, and hygienic environment,” said Borough President Adams. “It is time for the City to embrace and nurture its future. After all, what could be more nurturing than a mother’s milk?” Understanding the importance of health education, Borough President Adams is also expanding outreach to mothers across the borough on the benefits of breastfeeding. This May, he debuted a newborn greeting card for mothers who deliver their babies in Brooklyn, providing words of encouragement and information about breastfeeding before they leave the hospital. These cards are being delivered at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, Maimonides Medical Center, NYC Health + Hospitals/Coney Island, NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, NYC Health + Hospitals/ Woodhull, New York Methodist Hospital, NYU Lutheran Medical Center, The Brooklyn Hospital Center, and Wyckoff Heights Medical Center. Additionally, Borough President Adams hosted a Brooklyn rally for the Global Big Latch-On on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall in August, where dozens of moms breastfed in unison to help further normalize breastfeeding. In short, Brooklyn is birthing a new breastfeeding movement, and Borough President Adams could not be prouder to help nurture it forward. Benefits of Breastfeeding (Courtesy of DOHMH) • Breast milk is filled with the vitamins and nutrients that babies need, building up immune systems and helping brains develop • Breast milk is easier to digest than formula, resulting in less diarrhea and spit-up • Breastfed babies are less likely to get infections as well as to develop asthma, diabetes, SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), and other chronic conditions, including obesity later in life • Breastfeeding helps mothers recover from pregnancy and labor, shrinking the uterus back to size and reducing bleeding after birth • Breastfeeding lowers the mother’s risk of getting diabetes, ovarian cancer, and some forms of breast cancer • Breastfeeding helps mothers bond with their babies • Breastfeeding saves time and money; no bottles need to be washed and sterilized, and no formula needs to be bought
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