Why Bakersfield Needs A Baby Cafe
Why Bakersfield Needs A Baby Cafe
Through our work in the hospital setting as well as in the community, we have identified a gap in breastfeeding support services in the Bakersfield area. Approximately half the population of mothers in our area qualify for and receive breastfeeding services through WIC and Clinica Sierra Vista. The remainder of mothers have an income which rests above the qualifying line for those services, but for some, paying for breastfeeding services or breastpumps is not within their financial means. These mothers theoretically are eligible to receive no-cost breastfeeding services through the hospital where they delivered, but there are limited appointment times for those services. This creates significant delays in receiving appropriate breastfeeding support which can lead to early weaning.
We have discovered a solution to this need which has been proven successful in other areas: a licensed, branded Baby Cafe, a drop-in center for mothers where they can reliably access both peer support and professional lactation care. These services are provided at no cost to mothers. The Baby Cafe model is a proven effective model of care in the UK and has recently been expanded into the US.
We are so excited to announce the Grand Opening of California's very first licensed Baby Cafe in Bakersfield! On Friday, March 7 we will celebrate the beginning of the future of breastfeeding support for Bakersfield families. The Baby Cafe Bakersfield will be located at Planet Bambini in northwest Bakersfield.
Existing Baby Cafe locations support 7800 moms annually (as of Dec 2010.) A Baby Cafe is fundamentally different from a peer breastfeeding support group and complements the lactation services currently provided in our community. It is a casual, non-medical setting in which:
"Help is available on all aspects of breastfeeding and its impact on daily life – from starting to stopping and all the variations in between.
In a relaxed, informal atmosphere you can:
Chat to other mums and build your confidence.
Get one-to-one help from specially trained staff
Look at books, leaflets and DVDs
And enjoy some tasty refreshments." - www.babycafe.org
Several local International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) have joined together to bring this concept to our community. These lactation professionals have committed to staffing the Baby Cafe when it opens, and other trained lactation caregivers have also agreed to volunteer their services as needed.
Funding for a licensed Baby Cafe allows for the established model to be carried out effectively. Some of the costs of this project have already been pledged. Other financial projections have been established and are available for review by request.
Please contact us if you are interested in assisting with funding this endeavor. The project will also require a permanent location, preferably on the western side of Bakersfield, where many of the potential clients reside. With the financial and creative support of the Bakersfield community, we are confident that we can establish and maintain California’s first Baby Cafe! Additional information about the Baby Cafe model is available at www.thebabycafe.org. Please contact us about our local project at info@bakersfieldbreastfeeds.com.
Christine Staricka, IBCLC, RLC, CCE
Adrienne Guirguis, IBCLC, RLC, CCE