The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has been recognized for its efforts to promote and support breastfeeding.
It has received the 'baby-friendly initiative' designation from the Breastfeeding Committee of Canada, only one of 39 facilities in Ontario to receive it.
The health unit had to meet several requirements including staff training, a written breastfeeding policy and supporting nursing moms.
Stats show only 8% of women in Windsor-Essex are 'exclusively' breastfeeding at 6 months which is below the provincial average, although 64% intended to breastfeed.
Manager of Healthy Families Debbie Silvester says the stats are a bit misleading because the messaging around breastfeeding is mixed.
"The messaging about when to introduce solids, so to be exclusively breastfed, you basically are not to give the baby anything except Vitamin D or medication," she says.
The World Health Organization recommends women breastfeed exclusively for the first six months and continue to breastfeed to two years and beyond.
Mom Melissa Rudy shared her personal story about her struggles to breastfeed. June 2018 (Photo by AM800's Teresinha Medeiros)
Local mom Melissa Rudy is still nursing her 11-month old daughter, but she admits it was difficult and isolating in the beginning.
"This incredible doctor took the time to work with me to support my goal to continue breastfeeding," she remembers. "He then sat across from me, looked me in the eye and said, 'you know this is not your fault, right?' The kindness that I received from this walk-in doctor was unexpected and exactly what I needed to hear in that moment."
Despite the low local rate of breastfeeding mothers, the designation means the health unit is doing everything it can to promote, support and encourage breastfeeding, as well as helping moms who can't breastfeed.
The designation is valid for five years.