>CarolinaEast Health System Recognized for Support of Breastfeeding Families

>New Bern, NC – CarolinaEast Health System has been awarded the Breastfeeding –Friendly Workplace Award from the North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition (NCBC). This award recognizes North Carolina employers for their efforts to support breastfeeding families and employees

The Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Award is a designation that signifies the recipient has taken direct action to support breastfeeding employees. By doing so job satisfaction and retention improves and the number of work days missed to care for sick children decrease. Reduced health care costs and less time away from work translates into overall cost savings for employers.

Each component of the CarolinaEast Health System has designated areas for employees to express their breast milk while separated from their babies. The Lactation Room at CarolinaEast Medical Center is equipped with two electric breast pumps and amenities to help create a relaxing private atmosphere for the mother working outside of the home.

These awards are part of the North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition’s efforts to encourage all businesses to be sincerely supportive of breastfeeding families by designating special lactation areas for breastfeeding employees. Breastfeeding helps decrease the risk of maternal and child diabetes and cancers as well as a myriad of preventable pediatric conditions. By making breastfeeding possible for mothers, The NCBC hopes to make the healthy choice the easy choice. CarolinaEast Health System is proud to advance this mission.

NCBC District VI representative Leah Trombley will present the award to CarolinaEast President and CEO, Ray Leggett, at a reception to be held on April 19th at 10:00 a.m. in the Education Building on the medical center campus.

About CarolinaEast Health System
CarolinaEast Health System is the region’s trusted leader in providing quality care to the families of coastal North Carolina. The flagship of the system, the 350 bed CarolinaEast Medical Center in New Bern cared for over 176,000 people during 2010. The Health System also cares for the community through its Diagnostic Center, Surgery Center, regional Home Care Service, Crossroads Adult Mental Health, CarolinaEast Rehabilitation Hospital and the caring physicians and staff of CarolinaEast Heart Center, CarolinaEast Urology Center, CarolinaEast Internal Medicine and CarolinaEast Pediatrics.

About The North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition
The North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition brings together breastfeeding advocates, health care providers, agencies, individuals, and families to support, protect and promote breastfeeding in the state of North Carolina. Founded in 2005, NCBC provides a forum for development and exchange of resources for families and breastfeeding professionals.

Submitted by: Megan McGarvey, Director, Public Relations, CarolinaEast Health System, 2000 Neuse Blvd., P.O. Box 12157, New Bern, NC 28561, 252-633-8154