CHEER Equity
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Our History
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Support Our Work
  • Current Projects
    • Mississippi CHAMPS
    • COVID-19 >
      • For MCH Providers >
        • National/International Guidance
        • Hospital/Provider Experiences
      • For Families with Babies
      • CHAMPS COVID-19 Response
      • COVID-19 and MCH Research
    • RWJ Healthy Eating Research
    • Trainings, Webinars & Conferences
  • Past Projects
    • AI/AN Health >
      • AI/AN CHAMPS
      • MSPI/DVPI Technical Assistance
      • CHAs and CHIPs >
        • Blackfeet Community Health Assessment
        • Northern Cheyenne Community Health Assessment
        • Rocky Boy's Community Health Assessment
        • Blackfeet Community Health Improvement Plan
      • Indigenous Breastfeeding Counselor Course
    • CHAMPS South
  • CHEERING
    • CHEERing: CHEER International - Greece >
      • CHEER Greece: Refugees >
        • Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies
        • Infant Feeding Data in Athens
        • Camp Mapping
  • News
    • News from CHEER
    • News from the Field
  • Resources
    • IYCFE Resources
    • Breastfeeding/Baby-Friendly Resources >
      • Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative
      • Current Research
      • Useful Websites
      • Policy Statements & Position Papers
      • Training for Healthcare Professionals
      • Patient Education Materials
      • Breastfeeding in the Workplace
      • Breastfeeding and the Law
      • Ban the Bags
    • Breastfeeding in Scripture
    • Our Publications
  • Champions
    • Lifetime Achievement Awards

CHEER CHAMPION of the Week: Cynthia Coleman!

9/12/2016

Comments

 
Picture
​Cynthia Coleman, CLC, is the WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator for the Northeast Mississippi Department of Health. She was nominated as CHAMPion of the Week for her great work as WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator and for her invaluable input at a recent CHAMPS site visit at North Mississippi Medical Center-Tupelo! Cynthia and her staff work with 4 area hospitals, 3 of which are CHAMPS hospitals, and Cynthia serves on the community task forces for 2 hospitals, including CHAMPS hospital Baptist Memorial Hospital Union County.
 
Cynthia shares how her breastfeeding journey began and what motivates her to do this work: “My journey to breastfeeding began at birth. I was one of the few children born in the 1960s who was breastfed. My mother always said that anything our body made for our children had to be better than what was made in a factory. I have no idea how many benefits she knew about breastfeeding, but I always tried to please my mother. I breastfed my children because my mom breastfed me. While I always intended to breastfeed, I can remember being ashamed to share that with anyone. I am thrilled that breastfeeding is closer to becoming the norm in the United States. I am glad to have the opportunity daily to discuss and teach reasons to breastfeed to our new moms. While there are many women who are not comfortable with breastfeeding, it is my desire to help them overcome any barriers to breastfeeding. It is rewarding to know that I have played a part in giving a baby the best start possible.” Cynthia adds that the experience of her daughter having a baby as a teenager, though difficult, helps her to work compassionately with other teen moms.     
 
Cynthia has worked for the MS Department of Health for 8 years. Her district includes 11 counties and “7 wonderful peer counselors.” Their main focus is to serve WIC’s prenatal and postnatal clients. They contact them on a monthly basis to build a relationship with them; educate them so they can make informed decisions about feeding their babies; provide hospital and home visits during the first few weeks of life; provide breastfeeding help in the WIC clinics; respond 24/7 to emergency calls; support moms in reaching their breastfeeding goals; loan pumps to NICU moms and moms returning to work or school; and refer clients to other agencies when needed. The MS Department of Health is also providing WIC clients with the new PACIFY app free of charge. The PACIFY app provides 24/7 support from an RN, pediatric nutritionist, or IBCLC. Cynthia shares that feedback about this app has been positive. 
 
Other outreach groups with which Cynthia and her staff work include: Northeast MS Birthing Project, Family Resource Center, Newborns in Need, Banah Pregnancy Center, and North MS Breastfeeding Coalition. ​

Comments

    CHEER Champion of the week

    Each Monday (besides public holidays), we will recognize a CHEER Champion for all the support they have provided for CHEER, CHAMPS, or the general public. 

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

© Center for Health Equity, Education, & Research
Boston Medical Center
​
801 Albany Street- 2N, Boston, MA 02119
Phone: (617) 414.6466
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Our History
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Support Our Work
  • Current Projects
    • Mississippi CHAMPS
    • COVID-19 >
      • For MCH Providers >
        • National/International Guidance
        • Hospital/Provider Experiences
      • For Families with Babies
      • CHAMPS COVID-19 Response
      • COVID-19 and MCH Research
    • RWJ Healthy Eating Research
    • Trainings, Webinars & Conferences
  • Past Projects
    • AI/AN Health >
      • AI/AN CHAMPS
      • MSPI/DVPI Technical Assistance
      • CHAs and CHIPs >
        • Blackfeet Community Health Assessment
        • Northern Cheyenne Community Health Assessment
        • Rocky Boy's Community Health Assessment
        • Blackfeet Community Health Improvement Plan
      • Indigenous Breastfeeding Counselor Course
    • CHAMPS South
  • CHEERING
    • CHEERing: CHEER International - Greece >
      • CHEER Greece: Refugees >
        • Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies
        • Infant Feeding Data in Athens
        • Camp Mapping
  • News
    • News from CHEER
    • News from the Field
  • Resources
    • IYCFE Resources
    • Breastfeeding/Baby-Friendly Resources >
      • Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative
      • Current Research
      • Useful Websites
      • Policy Statements & Position Papers
      • Training for Healthcare Professionals
      • Patient Education Materials
      • Breastfeeding in the Workplace
      • Breastfeeding and the Law
      • Ban the Bags
    • Breastfeeding in Scripture
    • Our Publications
  • Champions
    • Lifetime Achievement Awards