Verde Valley Medical Center’s Healthy Families and Healthy Babies programs, in partnership with the East Yavapai Breastfeeding Coalition (EYBFC), are hosting the first annual Verde Valley World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) Celebration. The event will take place on Friday, Aug. 1, in VVMC’s Outpatient lobby, 10 a.m.-noon.

WBW is a worldwide event started in 1992 by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action, a global network of individuals and organizations dedicated to the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding worldwide.

The EYBFC is a local group of lactation professionals with a mission to increase the initiation and duration of breastfeeding rates in the Verde Valley through education and support. Community agencies will be in attendance to provide information on how their organizations are available to assist families meet their breastfeeding goals and practical needs. Some of these include VVMC’s Healthy Families and Healthy Babies, WIC, Yavapai County Health Start, Parenting Arizona, La Leche League and others. Lactation professionals will be available to answer questions, and small giveaway items will be distributed.

In celebration of WBW, every baby born at VVMC during the month of August will receive a complimentary onesie, through the VVMC Lactation Fund and the EYBFC.

Please join VVMC to show support and learn how you can support families and promote the many benefits of breastfeeding. For more information, please call Maya at 928 301-3323 or Karen at 928 202-1216.

For assistance with a breastfeeding issue, please call the EYBFC Warmline at 928 639-6662.