Santa Barbara County Public Health shares latest breastfeeding data

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Santa Barbara County Nutrition Services program just released an in-hospital breastfeeding report, and its impact on the health of children.

"Babies that are breast-fed are smarter have less illness less diarrhea … formula fed babies have higher risk of obesity, diabetes," said breastfeeding coordinator Meg Beard of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.

Directors of the public health department stress the importance of breastfeeding-friendly hospitals.

They also believe in the impact early support can have on the health of children, and breastfeeding parents in the early postpartum period.

"This is Dean ... he was born here in Santa Barbara County so we got to witness firsthand that support from the hospitals and how important the community of providers and pediatricians are to make breastfeeding successful," said nutrition services director Susan Liles of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.

Beard said she hopes to continue working with hospitals and partners to ensure practices are supportive of breastfeeding.

"In Public Health we have some of the highest rates in California in the United States … we have seven international board-certified lactation consultants, and most of our staff are trained on breast-feeding, and we work with low income families. We have really good services," said Beard.

In Santa Barbara County, 67.5 percent of babies are exclusively breastfed upon hospital discharge.