cheer champion of the week: Lakendrea bush!

Lakendrea & Aubreigh skin-to-skin

​This week’s CHEER Champion of the Week is Lakendrea Bush, who gave birth to her first daughter, Aubreigh Rose, at CHAMPS Baby-Friendly hospital, Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi (BMH-NM) on December 7, 2018. In January 2019, Lakendrea shared her positive birthing story with CHAMPS for a news article about a paper CHAMPS team members published in Pediatrics. The Pediatrics paper showcased CHAMPS’ successful implementation of Baby-Friendly practices in the southern U.S. and its effects on increased breastfeeding rates, especially among African-American women. Lakendrea’s story illustrates why Baby-Friendly works! 
 
“My experience at BMH-NM far exceeded my husband’s and my expectations,” Lakendrea shares. “The doctors and nurses were awesome and made us feel safe and secure about delivering our first child there. They also respected all our wishes on what type of birth we wanted to have and supported our decisions. I really enjoyed how all the staff catered to my needs and concerns, especially with breastfeeding, and helped me feel at ease about being a first-time breastfeeding mom. The nurses came in a timely manner and helped put my baby on the breast and showed me different techniques and positions to get the baby to latch! Everyone was awesome! The hospital also gave us a whole hour without any company or interruptions to bond and to do skin-to-skin after delivery. I really appreciated that!”

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Lakendrea & family

​Lakendrea was originally going to deliver her baby at another hospital, but switched to BMH-NM after hearing about it being Baby-Friendly from her lactation consultant, Chelesa Presley, CLC, Lactation Consultant for Tougaloo College/Delta HealthPartners Healthy Start. 
 
“That is exactly what my family and I were looking for!” Lakendrea says.
 
Aubreigh Rose is almost 7 months old and Lakendrea says breastfeeding is going “wonderfully.” 
 
“I love every moment I get to breastfeed my baby. Just knowing that your baby depends on you to get the proper nutrients and that it all comes from you is the best feeling ever!” Lakendrea says. 
 
Lakendrea is thankful for her community’s breastfeeding resources, and for the people who have helped her in her journey. She would like to especially thank Chelesa Presley, CLC, Tashunda Vaughn, LCSW, and Breanna Pennington, CLC from Delta HealthPartners, for their support and encouragement. 
 
In addition to being a mother, Lakendrea is a Registered Respiratory Therapist. She says she is enjoying being a new mother, a new wife, and hanging out with family and friends.
 
Congratulations, Lakendrea, and best wishes to you and your family!

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