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NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital will participate in a world-wide event that links moms across the globe in simultaneous breastfeeding.

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, the Hospital on August 1 at 10:30 a.m. will be part of "The Big Latch On", an event started by the Women’s Health Action in 2005 to raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding.

In the "Big Latch On" groups of women come together at registered locations across the globe to simultaneously breastfeed. Their participation is recorded in an attempt to break the worldwide record. Last year,14,536 children breastfed at the same time at 845 locations in 28 countries. Hudson Valley is the only location in Westchester County.

"Being a "Baby Friendly" Hospital that supports breastfeeding, we felt that this event would raise awareness in the community about the importance of breastfeeding to the health of the mom and baby," said Kathy Webster, Vice President of Patient Services."

All breastfeeding women regardless of whether they delivered at our Hospital are invited to participate in this event and support breastfeeding."

To participate, moms are invited to come to the Dempsey House at 1992 Crompond Road, Cortlandt Manor, NY adjacent to the Hospital at 10 a.m. on August 1. The Latch-On will begin exactly at 10:30 a.m. Participants should bring blankets, pillows or cushions to sit on. Water and refreshments will be provided. To register for the event, visit NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital’s website at hvhc.npgdev.com and look under events. For more information on the Big-Latch On, visit www.biglatchon.org.

Last year, the Hospital became the first in the region to be designated by the World Health Organization and Baby Friendly USA for excellence in maternity care and breastfeeding support.

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, sponsored by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund, seeks to improve infant health by implementing a global best-practices program. Studies show that breastfeeding in infancy promotes good health throughout life. Baby-Friendly hospitals provide guidance in helping parents to make informed choices about how to feed and care for their babies.

Breastfeeding is known to fight disease, lower sick care visits and hospitalizations, and help develop strong bonds between mother and child. Evidence has demonstrated that breastfeeding also helps regulate respiration, temperature, glucose, and heart rates for babies, and helps speed childbirth recovery for moms as well as helping to fight obesity later in life.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital has one of the top breastfeeding support programs in the state and was presented with an award of excellence by New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Nirav Shah in April 2011. HVHC is also the only Hospital and Birthing Center in Westchester and Putnam counties to be recognized for breastfeeding support by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.

The Hospital has a breastfeeding support group that meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month and offers prenatal education classes, private consultations, telephone triage and a new class on what to expect for grandmothers.

For more information on the breastfeeding programs at NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital call 734-3896 or visit hvhc.npgdev.com.