The Grant County Breastfeeding Coalition (GCBC) is dedicated to educate and promote breastfeeding throughout Grant County! The GCBC is a local chapter of the Breastfeeding Coalition of Washington. GCBC meetings are held quarterly at Samaritan Healthcare.
Our Mission: “Strives to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding as vital to the health of our community.”
Our Vision: “Together we can increase the success and duration of breastfeeding”
WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK!
August 1st – August 7th, 2023
Making breastfeeding at work, work, makes societies work! Breastfeeding provides vital health and nutritional benefits for children with positive lifelong impacts, building healthier populations – and workforces – for the future.
Learn more about #WorldBreastfeedingWeek.
Why Breastfeed?
Breastfeeding offers many benefits. Breast milk is easy to digest and contains antibodies that can protect infants from bacterial and viral infections. Infants who are breastfed are less likely to become overweight or obese children or adolescents when compared to infants who were only bottle-fed.
- Bond with your baby
- Growth and development
- Provides illness protection
- Reduce the risk for obesity
- Mother’s health
- Baby’s digestion
- Allergy reduction
- Money savings
Community Involvement:
The GCBC is committed to helping reduce community stigma associated with breastfeeding via community partnerships, education, policy, system, and environmental changes, as well as through community outreach and engagement.
- Assisted Samaritan Hospital in becoming a Breastfeeding Friendly Washington Hospital, obtaining a recognition level of SILVER.
- When a facility is recognized as Breastfeeding Friendly, they are implementing at least Four Steps (Bronze Level) that are evidence based to support breastfeeding and infant bonding.
- Assisting Samaritan Hospital in establishing a Donor Milk Bank Program to support exclusive breastfeeding practices.
- Aiding local businesses in establishing mother’s feeding rooms throughout Moses Lake. This includes our annual breastfeeding booth at the Grant County Fair, stop by this year and check it out!
- Assistance and support of employers interested in implementing breastfeeding policies in the workplace to support nursing mothers.
- Published a resource brochure for breastfeeding mothers for lactation services, support, and supplies. English|Spanish
Have you checked our the GCBF newsletter? Our newsletter is created quarterly and is filled with helpful and up to date breastfeeding information inclusive of tips & tricks, resources & support, delicious recipes, myths & facts, and job related information for nursing mothers. Click the volumes below to view.
Local Breastfeeding Resources:
- Samaritan Hospital Lactation Office |509-793-9753
- WIC | 509-766-9815
- Maternity Support Services | 509-765-0674
- Crossroads Pregnancy Center | 509-765-4425
Have questions or are interested in joining? Please contact the SNAP Ed Coordinator at 509-770-5081