As families prepare for flu season and the release of vaccines for both the seasonal flu and H1N1 (swine flu), Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital’s Lactation Services Team urges mothers and healthcare professionals to promote, support, and encourage breastfeeding, which provides infants with antibodies that can help fight illness and disease.
“Breastfeeding is always important for a baby’s health,” says Jolli Bernier, IBCLC, lactation specialist at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. “But it is especially important during flu season when colds and respiratory infections are common.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that babies exclusively breastfeed for at least six months of life and continue breastfeeding for at least one year. The AAP believes that breast milk is the optimal form of nutrition for infants and helps reduce the risk for childhood obesity and infectious and non-infectious diseases.
Breast milk is free, instantly available, does not need to be sterilized, and contains the right balance of nutrients to protect infants against some common childhood illnesses and infections.
“Even when a mother becomes ill with the flu or other illnesses, she should continue to breastfeed,” says Mary Beth Sweet, IBCLC. “Her body will produce antibodies that will help protect the baby.”
Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital is committed to ensuring the health and well-being of our patients, visitors, and staff. In response to concerns about risk and infection during the flu season, and to help keep new moms and babies safe from flu exposure, the hospital will be implementing new visitor policies during the flu season.
1. Due to the large number of children affected by the H1N1 flu, children under 14 will not be permitted to visit patients or permitted in patient care areas. This is for their protection as well as for the protection of our patients. With supervision, children may wait in the hospital’s main lobby or the hospital cafeteria. Please do not leave children unaccompanied.
2. Persons with symptoms of respiratory infections, fever, illness or any sign of communicable infection will not be permitted to visit patients.
We understand that having a baby is a joyous time and that many friends and relatives will be anxious to visit you and your new baby. For your baby’s health, please ask your visitors and family members to stay home if they are not feeling well.
Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital is a 221 bed not-for-profit acute care hospital serving the Santa Clarita Valley since 1975. Services include trauma, emergency, intensive care, maternity, surgery, nursing, wound care, behavioral health, and acute rehab, as well as cancer, cardiology, imaging, lab, digestive, respiratory services and physical and occupational therapies. Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital is located at 23845 McBean Parkway, Valencia.
For more information, visit www.henrymayo.com or call 661-253-8000.