Parental Leave Surge Staffing

Samantha Arnold nurses her 1.5 month-old daughter, Aria. Her husband (right), Petty Officer 3rd Class AJ Arnold, is a storekeeper stationed at Base Kodiak. Raising mothers, like raising babies, takes support from the whole community and we all have a role to play when it comes to uplifting new parents. All nursing parents benefit when breastfeeding support comes from within their existing network, but younger mothers tend to rely heavily on friends and close family members to learn parenting behaviors and norms. Asking young mothers if they know anybody who has breastfed and helping them connect to other young mothers who are breastfeeding can be valuable in helping them build a lasting support network. A new mother who is confident in her role as a caregiver and who feels connected to her baby is more likely to breastfeed. Things like early skin-to-skin, rooming-in, and highlighting how breastfeeding is something that only she can do for her baby are all likely to boost confidence and connection.