Moms, babies feed on support

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WARREN The new mothers who attend the weekly breastfeeding support group at Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital say the help and advice they get from other mothers has made their lives with their newborns much easier.

This week is Breastfeeding Awareness Week with August also being Breastfeeding Awareness Month. This year's theme is ''Mother Support: Going for the Gold'' and corresponds with the Olympic Games being held this month.

Cynthia Maraczi, a registered nurse and one of the support group coordinators along with Lynn Peteritis and April Hostetler, said mothers need the support of family and friends.

While Maraczi and Peteritis are certified lactation consultants, Hostetler is a dietician who works with the mothers sitting in on the weekly support meetings.

Maraczi said breastfeeding mothers face challenges, which include dealing with misinformation, continuing to breastfeed while working outside the home, coping in emergency situations and, most importantly, overcoming doubts about her ability to breastfeed her baby.

During the month, the Ohio Department of Health maternal and child health programs congratulate those state and local institutions that provide effective breastfeeding support and care to families that choose to breastfeed their babies.

"The health benefits of breastfeeding for children include: a 20-30 percent reduced risk of obesity, a reduced risk of SIDS, fewer ear and respiratory infections, a reduced risk of developing juvenile and type 2 diabetes and an average increase of six points in IQ at age 6 1/2," said ODH Director Alvin D. Jackson.

Jackson said the economic benefits of breastfeeding include: an average infant formula cost savings of $800 per year and greatly decreased health care costs compared with formula-fed babies - $4,000 vs. $68,000 in a six-month period for a matched group.

The Breastfeeding Support Group started more than 10 years ago at TMH.

Maraczi said the purpose of the group is to provide ongoing support for nursing mothers, exchange helpful information and answer questions they may have as they continue to nurse their babies. In addition to the opportunity to meet other nursing mothers and talk with licensed professionals, meeting weekly is a way for moms to be reassured of their baby's progress as the babies are weighed at each meeting.

Maraczi said not only do the mothers bond with one another, but the babies also enjoy playing and being with others.

''The moms talk about so many different things," Maraczi said. "We have fun and celebrate the holidays. We had a party for Cinco de Mayo Day."

Tami Collins and Cindy Viets, who have been with the current group the longest, said they want to help the new mothers just as other mothers helped them when they had their babies.

Amanda Colbert and Jessica Ciminero, who have newer babies, said they felt very welcomed when they first came to the support group and have found that all the mothers share similar stories and situations.

Maraczi said Governor Ted Strickland also issued a proclamation declaring August

as Breastfeeding Awareness Month.

Trumbull Memorial Hospital's Breastfeeding Support Group meets from 2 to 3 p.m. on Mondays in the family waiting area on the third floor of the hospital.

Maraczi said the support group currently has between eight and 10 mothers attending. Some of the babies attending are a few weeks old and some have completed a year of successful breastfeeding. Any nursing mother is welcome, she said.

For more information, call 330-841-9913 or attend a session.