LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Arkansas Department of Health, Healthy Active Arkansas and the Arkansas State Fair have joined together to create Nursing Nooks at the 2018 Arkansas State Fair.
There will be a Nursing Nook near the main food court and a location at the Kiddie Land section of the park to provide a safe, quiet environment for mothers to breastfeed their babies.
“We are excited to partner with Healthy Active Arkansas to bring Nursing Nooks to the State Fair,” said Will Hornburg, Director of Sales and Promotion for the Arkansas State Fair. “We have always strived to provide accommodations for mothers, but this will be the first time we have been able to provide dedicated areas for nursing mothers. We want to make everyone to feel welcome and comfortable when attending the fair.”
Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of life to benefit both the mother and the baby. Breastfeeding reduces the risk for babies to develop certain cancers, asthma, and obesity during childhood. Mothers who breastfeed are less likely to develop uterine and ovarian cancer, and breastfeeding aids in losing weight gained during pregnancy.
“The Arkansas State Fair is an annual tradition attended by thousands within our state,” said Healthy Active Arkansas Board Member and Arkansas Minority Health Commission Director ShaRhonda Love. “This year, we are excited to know that families will have access to a Nursing Nook which is a much-needed resource for breastfeeding moms.”
The Arkansas State Fair will be open from Oct. 11-21, and the nooks will operate during the fair’s hours.
Healthy Active Arkansas is a 10-year framework to increase the number of Arkansans at a healthy weight. There are nine priority areas, including Breastfeeding, that include evidence-based strategies that impact the health of the state.
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