STEPHENVILLE Dana Priddle is a true believer in the adage of “breast-fed is best fed.”
The young mother of three and a half month old Jaxon Priddle was among 13 mothers and babies who were on hand at the Family Resource Centre in L.S. Eddy Memorial Complex in Stephenville on Thursday to take part in a National Breastfeeding Week event.
The first time breastfeeder said it was only natural for her to breastfeed her child as she and her siblings were all breastfed by their mother Diann Priddle, including her brother Scott and sister Stephanie.
“As a child I grew up with it and during per-natal classes here at the Family Resource Centre it was reinforced, especially when you learn about the advantages of breast feeding,” she said.
Those include such things as providing nutrients and valuable antibodies to help prevent disease; strong evidence of brain power; it’s convenient and portable; it benefits mothers in that research suggests breastfeeding provides a measure of protection against breast cancer, ovarian cancer and weak bones later in life.
The closeness and comfort of breastfeeding strengthens the bond between mother and baby; the fact that breastfeeding saves hundreds and maybe thousands of dollars; and that it’s good for the environment without any unnecessary packaging or waste.
Priddle said the event was great in that it gave her and Jaxon the opportunity to get out and socialize with other mothers and babies and staff at the resource centre. During the event there were a number of educational games carried out by Arleen Quann and Stacey-Sheppard Cornect, local public health nurses.
