Welia Health is a part of a state funded wellness group, Partners in Healthy Living (PiHL) a Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP), that includes organizations in Kanabec, Pine, Isanti, and Mille Lacs Counties. Launched in 2009 as part of Minnesota’s bipartisan health reform effort, SHIP funds local communities to help Minnesotans live longer, healthier lives by decreasing obesity and tobacco use and exposure, the leading causes of chronic disease, disability and death. In addition to targeting obesity and tobacco use, the partnership promotes positive changes in all areas of wellbeing.
PiHL funds annual mini-grants that the partners can apply for. This year, Welia Health applied for an update to the Nursing Mother Rooms. We were awarded an amount of $816 that funded four bags that contain supplies for our employees that are nursing mothers, as well as two mini fridges. The bags will be placed in room 11 in Hinckley, the Pine City break room, and the two employee nursing mother rooms in Mora (by the southwest employee entrance and across from hospital lab). The bags contain disposable nursing pads, milk freezer bags, reusable ice packs, headphones, and cleaning wipes for breast pumps.
The purpose of providing these items to our staff is so that they don’t have to feel the stress or worry over forgetting a few of their supplies one day or needing a place to store expressed milk. Research shows breastfed babies have lower risks of: asthma, childhood obesity, ear infections, eczema, lower respiratory, SUIDS, etc. so providing mothers with a more comfortable space to express milk and a few accommodations will be beneficial to continuing their breastfeeding journey.
The Employee Wellness Committee will take on the future expense of continuing to provide accommodations for nursing mothers. We are very happy to be able to provide this to our employees!
