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By Holly DeCarlo-White
USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs Office
The first week in August is World Breastfeeding Week. So why not engage and learn about the benefits of breastfeeding and the programs and services available to Stuttgart military community members.
According to the World Breastfeeding Week website, the 2016 theme is “Breastfeeding: A Key to Sustainable Development” emphasizing on breastfeeding, and getting people to think about how to value ones well-being from the very beginnings of life and how to respect and care for each other in the world we share.
To commemorate this week, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart’s Family Advocacy Program hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony, Aug. 3 for the public lactation room at Army Community Service on Panzer Kaserne. The lactation room offers an alternate way for breastfeeding mothers to nurse their infant or pump breast milk in a comfortable and private setting.
In May, FAP, in conjunction with the Community Health Promotion Council, already announced the first public facilities available to breastfeeding mothers within USAG Stuttgart.
These designated lactation rooms are open at the Jamii Community Room, Building 3312 (next to the Stuttgart Law Center) on Kelley Barracks, Army Community Service, Building 2915, 2nd floor, Panzer Kaserne, and at the Patch Fitness Center, Building 2337 on Patch Barracks.
Community members should visit the reception area to sign out a key to the designated rooms. Rooms are equipped with a seating area and toys for accompanying siblings, along with reading materials and other resources for new parents.
Each lactation room is available for use at anytime during the facilities regular hours of operations.
Click here to view the current Jamii Room schedule.
All Child Development Centers also accommodate breastfeeding mothers within the CDC’s located on Panzer Kaserne, Patch and Kelley Barracks. Note: The areas within the CDC are not designated private rooms.
TRICARE advises that breastfeeding is one of the most important contributors to infant health and provides a range of benefits for the infant’s growth, immunity, and development. In addition, breastfeeding contributes economic benefits to the family, health care system, and workplace and improves maternal health (e.g., faster weight loss, reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers).
Stuttgart’s New Parent Support program also hosted a viewing of the documentary exposé, “The Milky Way” for community members at ACS, Aug. 4. The film is about breastfeeding in the U.S. and empowering nursing mothers in American culture.
Last year, TRICARE revised its breast pump policy to ensure that mothers wishing to breastfeed can be provided with a pump, supplies, and lactation counseling. TRICARE expanded coverage to a standard or manual breast pump and supplies at no cost for new mothers, including mothers who have adopted. The Policy intends to allow beneficiaries to purchase a standard breast pump of their choice as prescribed by their TRICARE-authorized provider. An authorized provider is any individual, institution/organization, or supplier that is licensed by a state, accredited by national organization, or meets other standards of the medical community, and is certified to provide benefits under TRICARE. There are two types of TRICARE-authorized providers: Network and Non-Network. Information on TRICARE’s breast pump policy is available on their website here.
For information and new parent support, contact Stuttgart’s Family Advocacy Program through Army Community Service at DSN: 431-3362/civ. 07031-15-3362.
For more information on classes such as the OB Orientation and Stages of Labor, contact the Public Health Nurse at DSN: 590-1725/civ. 06371-9464-1725.
Upcoming Family Advocacy and New Parent Support Programs:
