Last week my good friend had a baby boy. In the proud
grandma’s first Facebook post announcing the weight, length and name to the world, she added this: “Baby’s fine and nursing well.”
It wasn’t that long ago that no one really talked about how a mom would feed her new baby, especially if she chose to breastfeed. Times have changed! You know it when how well a newborn latches on ranks near the top on his grandma’s list of important birth details.
The upcoming World Breastfeeding Week, Oct. 2 through 8, will be a celebration of that progress, with La Leche League of Greater St. Louis organizing a series of fun outings to local landmarks like Suson Park, the Butterfly House and Citygarden for nursing moms and their families. Along with the empowerment will be a bit of education, especially at the Oct. 8 seminar titled “Breastfeeding and Parenting: Making It Work” at the Saint Louis Zoo’s River Camp Conference Center. (You can also find these events listed in our Things to Do section.)
Those attending will learn about how to combine breastfeeding with working outside the home, how to nurse a toddler, and how to tell when the time is right to wean. This can be tricky – I know a couple of moms who nursed until their children were 4, whereas both of my boys pretty much self-weaned by the time they were 14 months old.
To register for the seminar, click here. Cost is $35 (or, for LLL members and WIC moms, $30). That’s a good deal for a six-hour seminar, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with lunch provided. Children under age 3 are welcome for free, but all older children and other family members must pay the registration fee (and frankly, they might be bored and distracting during the lectures – they’d for sure rather be exploring the zoo!).
To learn more about logistics like parking, visit the seminar’s Facebook page, e-mail joelleirons@yahoo.com or call 314-863-0487.
The week’s other events are free and open to the breastfeeding public without advance registration. For a list of all the events and locations, see the World Breastfeeding Week page on the LLL website.
By Amy De La Hunt, Health Blogger for SmartParenting
Take your family to watch birds of prey fly right over your head, macaws speak the English language and much more at the WOW! Amazing Animal Show at the World Bird Sanctuary. Every program showcases different animals so each day is a new experience.
Visit the James S. McDonnell Planetarium in Forest Park and see a star show to experience the largest artificial sky in the Western Hemisphere. Star shows are lead LIVE by one of the Planetarium's educators, creating a new and tailored experience for every audience.
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.
Young visitors and their families are invited to the Energy Stage at the Saint Louis Science Center to enjoy interactive read-alouds of science-themed picture books. Story times are followed by a short demonstration or discussion connected to the book's main concepts.
Play Day in the Park is a fun, free community event sponsored by The Magic House, Forest Park Forever, the St. Louis Public Library and the St. Louis County Library. The day is meant to showcase the importance of play and reading in children's lives. Activities include bubble play, outdoor art, parachute games, STEM activities, sports and more.
