Rachel asked what different places are doing to celebrate WBW...

I want to post what the wonderful women at Aviano Air Force base in Italy along with the Command leadership and breastfeeding support group at Aviano Air Force base are doing for WBW.  Every year they recognize the military spouses and active duty mothers who breastfeed exclusively for at least 6 months by having a ceremony and giving the mothers a special "Command Coin".

That may not seem like much until you realize that these mothers are stationed far from home, often with their husbands deployed, away from family and friends. And for the active duty (AD) moms, they are breastfeeding after returning to full-time military duty at 6 weeks postpartum, while working 12+ hour days and more.

Each mother is presented with a Command Coin (which is unique to each military command, are something to be treasured within the military community) by the base commander, that has the Aviano Air Base logo on one side and a fantastic image of a civilian mom and a military mom breastfeeding with the words "Protection, Promotion, Support" on it.  (I wish I could attach a photo to this email, it really is a cool looking coin. I will put up a blog post with photo as soon as I return to the States).

So for this year, they asked me to come over and give presentations to the Medical Group and the Command leadership; as well as giving a talk to the AD moms.  But then, most importantly,  to also give the keynote speech at the Coin Ceremony and help hand out the coins to the mothers.  We gave coins to 62 mothers, 13 of whom were active duty military mothers.

I have to tell you, the stories the moms told me about the obstacles they had to overcome and wonderful support that they receive from their superior officers, the IBCLC's on base, the New Parent Support Program and the Aviano Breastfeeding Support Group is just awe-inspiring.  These women are so deserving of this recognition and it is one of the reasons that Aviano Air Base has the 2nd highest rates of breastfeeding in the Department of Defense.

The ability of ALL of these moms to reach 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding is both awe-inspiring and should serve as a wake-up call...if these moms can do it in the military environment, against massive odds, then others should too. 

I had to leave, in order to fly to Washington State to give presentations and participate in the WBW activities at the various military bases there, but I know that the Aviano community had other activities like a walk and so forth planned for the rest of the week.  

A big HOOYAH goes out to my military sisters in the Air Force at Aviano!!


Robyn Roche-Paull, IBCLC, USN veteran
Author~Breastfeeding in Combat Boots
www.breastfeedingincombatboots.com

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