The North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition has awarded the Lenoir County Health Department and Lenoir County WIC department the Business Case for Breastfeeding Award.

The North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition has been a proud participant in the national effort to increase breastfeeding-friendliness in the workplace. Breastfeeding-friendly employers benefit from lower health care costs, lower turnover and absenteeism rates, higher productivity and morale. It also creates a positive image in the community as a “family friendly” business.

NCBC recognizes local companies that support breastfeeding families, distinguishing between “Breastfeeding-Friendly Businesses” and “Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplaces”. 

Breastfeeding-Friendly Businesses are businesses that welcome breastfeeding mothers as customers. Businesses who have been granted the Breastfeeding-Friendly Business Award can proudly display the Breastfeeding-Friendly window cling. Minimum criteria for receiving this award are:

• No advertisement of infant formula or related products directly to consumers.  

• Breastfeeding mothers are always welcome and respected. They will never be treated poorly, asked to stop breastfeeding, or asked to cover up or move. 

Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplaces are workplaces that have made accommodations to support breastfeeding mothers as employees. This can be as simple as allowing employees to have flexible breaks and access to a private room for expressing milk or nursing. The room needs to have a comfortable chair and a lock on the door. Minimum criteria for receiving this award are:

• All lactating employees are allowed breaks to express milk or nurse their children. 

• All lactating employees have access to a private space for expressing milk or nursing. The space is not a bathroom. The space is lockable and shielded from view. The space has an electrical outlet and hand station

Lenoir County Health Department and Lenoir County WIC Department proudly serves the residents of Lenoir County.

Applications are reviewed biannually in February and July.

The North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition (NCBC) partners with the US Breastfeeding Committee. The NCBC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization bringing together health care providers, agencies, organizations, individuals, families, and all other breastfeeding advocates to support, protect and promote breastfeeding in the state of North Carolina.

Founded in 2005, NCBC provides a framework for the development and execution of programs to advance breastfeeding support throughout NC. In addition NCBC is a forum for creation and exchange of resources for breastfeeding professionals and families. NCBC’s vision is to ensure that exclusive and continued breastfeeding is the norm in North Carolina. For more information about the North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition visit http://ncbfc.org.