Southwest Breastfeeding Task Force New Mexico

Southwest New Mexico Breastfeeding Council Update

The Southwest New Mexico Breastfeeding Council (SWNMBFC) has been busy! A primary focus is our New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force grant funded project to establish support groups and breastfeeding libraries in the four county area of New Mexico including Grant, Hidalgo, Luna and Catron counties. Part of our grant money was allocated for the purchase of slings. By having the slings made by a local woman, we will have a total of 100 beautiful
slings in a rainbow of colors for women participating
in support groups. Books for our libraries have been
ordered and are due to arrive any day. One of our
council members who is working on a Master's
degree in Health Services has decided to center
her final practicum project on helping to develop
and promote our support groups. She is working
on developing web based and phone-in options
for breastfeeding support, as well as developing
a brochure to be used to market breastfeeding
support throughout the four county area. We are
excited to have her energy and ideas! The following
is a breakdown of recent events in our
four county area:

Grant County-A monthly support group has been meeting during the day since April, and a second evening support group is beginning September 9 on the Western New Mexico University (WNMU) campus. The WNMU
community has its own Lactation Committee
which sends representation to the SWNMBFC
meetings. This WNMU group developed because
of the initiative of WNMU library employees who
recognized students on campus were having
breastfeeding challenges. The Southwest
New Mexico Breastfeeding Council gave the
library employees a Community Breastfeeding
Promotion Award for their efforts in promoting
and supporting breastfeeding on the WNMU
campus. Also this month, WNMU is hoping to
open their newly furnished lactation room located
in the university library.
Two promotional events were held in Grant
County in the past six months. Mother-Baby
comfort stations were available at the Blues' Fest
in Silver City in May and at the Farmers' Market
in Silver City during World Breastfeeding Week.
Both events proved to be great in terms of
marketing the support groups and as outreach
and education for the community. The Grant
County WIC office also held a wonderful
celebration during World Breastfeeding Week
to pamper and provide for breastfeeding moms,
and this also proved to be an opportunity to let
moms know about the breastfeeding
support groups.

Hidalgo County-Shauna McCosh, CNM
and Mary Gruszka, RN, IBCLC presented an
educational session for providers during
World Breastfeeding Week in Hidalgo County.
This session was an opportunity to bring
together different individuals who work
with moms and babies to talk about
breastfeeding support. Shauna will be
facilitating breastfeeding support through
programs which have existing group meetings, like the Healthy Start Program and the
Growing Up Together Strong (GUTS) Program. A first meeting was held with Healthy Start the last week in August.

Luna County-Luna County also took advantage of one their primary community events this August, the Deming Duck Races, to provide a Mother-Baby comfort station and talk to moms about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding support and information was also offered through the Healthy Start Consortium with bi-lingual sessions offered in both Deming and Columbus the last week in August. The SWNMBFC is hoping that on-going breastfeeding support meetings can occur through the Healthy Start program for Luna County.

Catron County-Catron County has been making plans for a mothers' tea as a forum for breastfeeding support. Catron County continues to be challenged by families spread over a large geographic area and relatively few breastfeeding mothers.