Scottsbluff, NE - In an effort to encourage mothers of young infants to breastfeed, Regional West’s Birth and Infant Center is hosting several events during World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7.

The first 50 breastfeeding moms at the Birth and Infant Care Center will receive magnet picture frames, reading “Babies were born to breastfeed.” The unit is also celebrating the nurses who support and encourage breastfeeding moms before and after birth with cake and drawings for door prizes. Without nurse support in the prenatal phase, shortly after delivery, and in the home and community, the continued success of breastfeeding on a local level would not be possible.

Breastfeeding is an excellent way to ensure that an infant receives the nutrition necessary for a good start in life. According to UNICEF, during the first six months of life, breast milk completely meets an infant’s nutritional requirements. After six months, an infant’s nutritional status can benefit from a variety of complementary foods, along with breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding is proven to have a positive effect on a child’s overall health, with lower risks of infectious disease, obesity, allergies, asthma, diabetes, and other chronic diseases later in life.

Regional West Health Services, with over 1,800 employees, provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people and communities of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming. With over 110 active physicians, 95 percent of whom are board certified or board eligible, plus an additional 25 consulting specialists, we offer care that spans more than 30 medical specialties. Regional West Medical Center, a subsidiary of Regional West Health Services, is accredited by The Joint Commission and is one of three Level II Trauma Centers in the state of Nebraska.