Juneau mom Ericka Beery sometimes breastfeeds at Fred Meyer. In the past, when nursing was still fairly new, she used to sit down in the furniture section to feed her son. Now, she can breastfeed her third child — a six-month-old daughter — while walking and shopping.
“I never feel weary of nursing anywhere in public in Juneau,” the 34-year-old said.
Beery was one of about 30 moms who sat together at the Wells Fargo Dimond Park Field House Saturday morning and breastfed their babies. They were all participating in The Big Latch On, a global celebration promoting and supporting breastfeeding.
“I think it’s important to get the awareness out for new moms who are nervous about breastfeeding or breastfeeding in public. They can see how it’s normal and it doesn’t have to be a full-on exposing or it doesn’t have to be a spectacle,” Beery said. “It’s not that everyone’s watching you while you’re nursing; people hardly even notice usually.”
Shakira Vallejo said it’s important to normalize breastfeeding. Vallejo, 34, was born and raised in Juneau and moved to Seattle two years ago, but she still spends the summers here with family.
“Nowadays, a lot of people don’t look at it like it’s normal, like it’s taboo to breastfeed in public when it shouldn’t be. The most natural thing in the world is to breastfeed your baby,” she said, while nursing her 10-month-old daughter.
She’s read about and seen videos on the internet of difficulties mothers have faced while breastfeeding in public. It made her nervous to do it, “but then I said, ‘My baby is hungry. I’m going to feed her and I don’t care what you think. If you don’t like it, don’t look,’” Vallejo said laughing.
As a mom, in Seattle and Juneau, she breastfeeds “anywhere in public,” like restaurants and airports.
Vallejo was pleasantly surprised by the turnout at Juneau’s first Big Latch On event.
“I didn’t expect this many people to be breastfeeding all at the same time here. It was really nice to see and feel a lot of support,” Vallejo said.
The two-hour family event was organized by the Juneau Breastfeeding Alliance, a group of individuals and health care organizations, like Bartlett Regional Hospital; Juneau Public Health Center; the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program at SEARHC and Valley Medical Care.
Shayna Rohwer, a perinatal educator at Bartlett and certified lactation counselor, is part of the alliance. She said the goal of The Big Latch On was to support breastfeeding moms and help them build connections.
“Support is the best predictor of breastfeeding success — having support from your family, your partner and then from your community and workplace,” Rohwer said.
In Alaska, more than a third of mothers stop breastfeeding before their babies reach four weeks of age, according to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. Reasons include pain, not enough time and trouble helping their baby latch on.
Rohwer said there are several free resources in Juneau that offer breastfeeding help and support, like four lactation consultants at Bartlett, baby groups at Bartlett and the Juneau Family Health and Birth Center, peer-to-peer support through the Breastfeeding Cafe at the birth center and a Juneau Breastfeeding Cafe Facebook group.
The Juneau Breastfeeding Alliance was initially created about four years ago to support women in the workplace. Rohwer said it’s important for employers to support breastfeeding moms by providing accommodations like time and space (that’s not a bathroom).
“It’s a great investment to make. Children have fewer illnesses, mothers have fewer sick days. Because of that, you have better employee performance and retention,” she said.
Juneau public health nurse Chastity Wilson said the benefits of breastfeeding extend to babies and moms. Breastfed babies are healthier overall than formula-fed babies, have less digestive issues, are easier to sooth, have less allergies, fewer ear infections, grow faster, have a decreased risk of obesity, among other things. Mothers who breastfeed have a decreased risk of cancer. Breastfeeding is also good for bonding and is more affordable.
Wilson said not all communities are as supportive of breastfeeding as Juneau. When she lived in California and nursed her first child, people looked at her and made rude comments.
“But Juneau’s great,” she said. “Women are out walking trails with their babies latched on. I love it.”
• Contact reporter Lisa Phu at 523-2246 or lisa.phu@juneauempire.com.
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Ericka Beery with her six-month-old daughter, Karinne, attend the Big Latch On at the Dimond Park Fieldhouse on Saturday.
