TCWH Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week: August 1-7, 2025
Published on August 14, 2025
Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) celebrated World Breastfeeding Week (August 1st – 7th) with our first annual Community Baby Shower, held on Saturday, Aug. 9th, at Cass Park (Ithaca). This event was free and open to all pregnant/expecting persons in Tompkins County. Over 50 people came to the event and had the opportunity to meet with TCWH staff as well as community partners, learn about a variety of resources available to support families in our community, and fill a diaper bag with free infant-care related items.
TCWH Director of Community Health Services Rachel Buckwalter stated, “This is the first time we’ve hosted an event like this, and we are so thrilled with the warm response we received from the community. We used this opportunity to share resources and connect families to services in Tompkins County. There are so many factors to consider while pregnant and when the baby arrives, including nutrition for the infant and parent, safe sleep, and exposure to language through books and songs. We thank the expectant parents and organizations for coming together and look forward to hosting this event again next year!”
The event was co-hosted by TCWH’s MOMS Plus+, WIC and Healthy Infant Partnership (HiP Tompkins), in partnership with Healthy Families Schuyler/Tompkins. Moms PLUS+ is a home visiting nurse program that provides maternal child health supportive services to residents of Tompkins County regardless of insurance status. Tompkins County WIC provides nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals to community services to income-eligible people who are pregnant and/or post-partum, and their children under five years of age. HiP Tompkins connects families with a Community Health Worker to improve the overall health and well-being of mothers, pregnant or birthing people, and their infants. All of these maternal child health services are provided free of cost.
TCWH Commissioner Jennie Sutcliffe stated, “Our nurses, WIC nutritionists, and Community Health Workers are here to support birthing people through pregnancy and beyond. They provide client-centered, individualized care and are trained to be trauma-informed and culturally responsive. Our staff are ready to assist families with their needs related to pregnancy and infant-care. Contact our office to learn more!”
World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration of the positive impacts of breastfeeding, which aims to normalize breastfeeding and advocates for support of breastfeeding parents by workplaces, public businesses, healthcare providers and partners, family members and friends.
Breastfeeding is more than just a highly nutritious option for infants. Breastfeeding can help protect babies against some short- and long-term illnesses and diseases. Breastfed babies have a lower risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Breastfed babies are also less likely to have ear infections and stomach bugs. Breastmilk contains antibodies help babies develop a strong immune system and protect them from illnesses.
Breastfeeding also provides benefits for the person who is breastfeeding, such as lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for about 6 months, with continued breastfeeding along with introducing appropriate complementary foods for up to 2 years of age or longer.
TCWH is proud to employ multiple certified lactation counselors (CLCs) in our Community Health Services division, as well as an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, the highest distinction in lactation counseling training. Our CLCs and IBCLCs are registered nurses in our MOMS Plus+ program as well as nutritionists in our Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. CLCs provide support and counseling for those who are breastfeeding, which can help to increase the length of time a person is able to breastfeed, allowing their infant to receive a longer health benefit.
TCWH thanks the community partners and program staff who joined us for this inaugural event: Buttermilk Falls Pediatrics, Child Development Council, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County, Family Reading Partnership, Fidelis, Finger Lakes Pregnancy Center, Finger Lakes Toy Library, Healthy Families Schuyler/Tompkins, LATCH (Lactation Alliance for Tompkins County Health), Northeast Pediatrics, Senator Lea Webb, Upstate NY Poison Center, Vaccine Conversations with Scientists, and Tompkins County Whole Health programs: Healthy Neighborhoods Program, HiP Tompkins, Moms PLUS+, and WIC.
TCWH extends additional gratitude to the Tompkins County Quilters Guild for donating over 50 quilts to be given away to expecting families.
For additional information about TCWH’s related services and programs, visit our website pages for MOMS Plus+, WIC, Healthy Infant Partnership (HiP Tompkins) and the Healthy Neighborhoods Program.
Tompkins County Whole Health: envisioning a future where every person in Tompkins County can achieve wellness. Find us online at: https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/health and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or X. Sign up to receive Whole Health updates or other county announcements via email or text.
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