News Release

For Immediate Release                     Contact:  Irene G. Warren, Director of Development

August 13, 2003                                (937) 374-5626  or 1-866-858-3588

Greene County Combined Health District
Announces Xenia Woman Winner of the
 World Breastfeeding Week Essay Contest

(Xenia, OH) Greene County Combined Health District announces Briston Ashe of Xenia as the winner of the World Breastfeeding Week Essay Contest sponsored by the WIC Program at the Health District. The contest is part of the WIC Program’s celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7, 2003.

“Breastfeeding in a Globalized World” is the theme chosen for this year’s World Breastfeeding Week. This theme highlights the need to think globally and act locally with all sectors of the community to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

Briston Ashe’s winning essay:

The miracle of life is breathtaking to me, and miracle is the word that I use to explain my breastfeeding experience. Throughout my pregnancy I was not skeptical at all about the idea of breastfeeding. When people would ask if I were breastfeeding or bottle-feeding I would proudly answer, “Breastfeeding!”

When my son Miles was born on January 31, 2003 it was truly the most precious time of my life. The only setback was that I had a horrible cold when I welcomed my son into the world. I was worried because I thought that I would give my newborn son my germs and that he would become sick. I began breastfeeding immediately after birth. When I expressed my worries of making my son sick the lactation consultant quickly reminded me that because I was breastfeeding my son was immune to my germs because of the antibodies in my breast milk. I was amazed and reassured that my decision to breastfeed was a good one.

Miles is five months old now and today nursing him is as fulfilling as it was when we first began our journey back in January. Our “personal time” is what I like to call it when my son is nursing. It’s when I’m holding him close to me and he’s relying on me to nourish his growing mind and body that I am grateful for the miracle of breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding, contrary to what people believe, does not exclude my husband. When Miles is finished nursing my husband is there to burp him and hold him close and then they enjoy alone time as well. I also found that 6 weeks after my son was born most of the weight that I had gained during my pregnancy was gone. I believe that the quick weight loss was due to breastfeeding.

Finding out that breastfeeding wasn’t the challenge that some people said it would be was a great relief. In fact I plan on breastfeeding all of my children in the future. I will always believe that breastfeeding is a miracle that should be embraced.

For more information about breastfeeding, contact Greene County Combined Health District, Nancy Cohen, RD, LD, IBCLC, and WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator at 

937-374-5642 or 1-866-858-3588, extension 5642.

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