New Equipment
The Kimberley Public Health Nurses would like to thank the Kimberley Health Auxiliary for generously donating funds which allowed us to purchase a new hospital grade breast pump.
Kimberley Public Health Nurses provide support to mothers and families in the home after the birth of a new baby and often this involves breastfeeding support. Both the World Health Organization and Interior Health recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant’s life. Breastfeeding is easy and affordable and it provides infants with the best food option, which is breast milk.
In some cases however, breastfeeding must be delayed or is not possible due to prematurity, illness, anatomy, or choice and mothers choose to pump or “express” breast milk. In these cases Public Health can provide a pump to the mothers so that they can ensure an adequate breast milk supply for their baby.
Breast milk contains all of the nutrients that babies require for healthy growth and development. It contains antibodies and enzymes that are associated with lowering the risk of acute illnesses such as ear infections, respiratory infections, and diarrhea. Breast milk is associated with a lower incidence of sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS. Some of the long-term benefits of breast milk include a lower risk of developing certain chronic disease such as diabetes, ulcerative colitis, and childhood obesity, and a lower risk of developing allergies.
Besides building an emotional bond and attachment between mom and baby, lactation or breast milk production actually has many advantages for the mother too. Mothers who breastfeed or express breast milk will bleed less post-partum and will have a lower risk for breast cancer, ovarian cancer and osteoporosis. A couple of other bonuses for moms include shedding a few extra pounds more quickly and saving money as they don’t need to spend any on formula.
On behalf of the Kimberley Public Health Nurses
Intimidated?
Recently we have seen a handful of protesters picket the deer cull in Cranbrook and place full page adds in the local paper. Look at these ads and their web site and you will see that they also want you to call in the location of deer traps and a trust fund set up to assist vandals with legal counsel who destroy these traps.
Eco terrorist groups that promote criminal activity should not be given air time in our local radio stations and newspapers. People that vandalize government property are criminals, regardless of the motive.
70 per cent of the residents who bothered to vote supported the deer cull and City council should not bow down to this type of bully tactic. City Council is setting a very dangerous precedence by dropping the deer cull after several traps were destroyed. Council should not encourage vandalism and criminal activity to be a tool for special interest groups to get their way.
Scenario: A skate or water park is going to be constructed across the street from your house, sneak in at night and destroy it and the city will change their mind on the location, is this what we want?
Gary Frank/Cranbrook
