supports mothers who desire to breastfeed their babies. The Lactation Room will provide a comfortable location and privacy for mothers who desire to nurse their babies while away from home. The addition of the room is another step toward the church's goal of reducing childhood obesity by providing education and support to the church community. Additional games, activities and events will be offered on September 29th from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. at Woodstock City Park to highlight this focus.The Lactation Room is a result of the Georgia SHAPE partnership between the Health Ministry of Allen Temple and North Georgia Health District's Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. Georgia SHAPE is a statewide, multiagency, multidimensional initiative of Governor Nathan Deal joining governmental, philanthropic, academic, and business communities to lower incidence of overweight and obesity in Georgia – now at epidemic proportions.
Evidence continues to mount that breastfeeding can help prevent obesity and is important to the health of both mothers and children. Leading health experts throughout the world and our nation recommend exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding for at least the first year. Exclusive breastfeeding offers women some protection from breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, while offering children important protection against ear, respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, obesity, diabetes, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Increasing the breastfeeding initiation and duration rates is a major national public health goal supported by the church's Health Ministry.
The public is cordially invited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony and join the Pass It On - Good Health celebration that will be conducted simultaneously at Woodstock City Park!
For more information about the opening of the Lactation Room at Allen Temple AME Church or if you are interested in participating, contact Dr. Orin Gill at (678) 761-2203 or