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ND – (NewsDakota.com) Jamestown Regional Medical Center (JRMC) was recognized as “Infant Friendly,” according to Mikaela Schlosser, Maternal and Child Health Nutritionist for the North Dakota Department of Health.

JRMC was designated as infant friendly after adopting a work site policy that now includes:
·    Flexible work scheduling, including scheduling breaks and permitting work patterns that provide time for expression of breast milk.
·    A convenient, sanitary, safe and private location (other than a restroom), allowing privacy for breastfeeding or expressing breast milk.
·    A convenient, clean and safe water source with facilities for washing hands and rinsing breast pumping equipment located near the private location.
·    A convenient place for temporarily storing breast milk, such as a refrigerator or cooler.

According to research, breastfeeding also benefits the employer. Such benefits include lower health-care costs because breastfed babies are healthier, lower absenteeism, and lower turnover rates since women are more likely to return to their previous jobs if the company provides support for breastfeeding mothers. These benefits can provide considerable cost savings to employers.

“Suggestions for improving our facilities for lactation came to us through an employee. We then started looking for new, more easily accessible space that we could make available for staff. I am very pleased we have been able to make enhancements to the spaces we have available,” said K.C. DeBoer, JRMC Chief Executive Officer.

For more information about the infant friendly designation, contact Mikaela Schlosser, North Dakota Department of Health, at 701-328-4529.