Mom's the word at Winchester Hospital

More than six years after she first brought her infant son to Winchester Hospital's Nursing Mother's Group, Laura Corddy-Kwet of Billerica is still meeting up with the other mothers she first met at Winchester Hospital's Outpatient Lactation Center. The program, which is specifically designed to offer new mothers the support, guidance and education needed to achieve breastfeeding goals, has blossomed into something more as mothers like Codrry-Kwet have kept in close touch and are even organizing playgroups with other mothers they met through the program more than six years ago.

According to Robin Sasek of Woburn the group has grown in scope beyond anything she had imagined. They routinely get together at parks, playgrounds, and beaches with their children. The also share parenting advice and occasionally treat themselves to dinner without children.

According to Janice Palmer, a lactation consultant at Winchester Hospital's Community Health Institute, the goal of the Nursing Mothers' Group is to answer general questions about breastfeeding and gain support from other breastfeeding mothers. All nursing mothers are welcome to attend, regardless of whether their children were delivered at Winchester Hospital.

"I was obviously hoping moms in the Nursing Mothers' Group would become friends, but I didn't realize that it would take on a life of its own through the dozens of playgroups that have come out of it," said Palmer, who instituted the support group in 1999. "I know of one mom in one of the playgroups who really leaned on the other women when she was seriously ill.

When second and third children are born, the other moms step in to help. It's just wonderful."

Located in Woburn, Winchester Hospital's Outpatient Lactation Center not only provides mothers with resources such as the weekly Nursing Mothers'

Group, but also offers a prenatal breastfeeding class, consultations with International Board Certified Lactation Consultants, a Lactation Boutique providing products and supplies, and a "Making It Work" class for mothers who want to continue breastfeeding after returning to work outside the home.

Winchester Hospital's Nursing Mothers' Group meets on Wednesdays from 1:30-3 p.m. at Baldwin Park I, 12 Alfred St. in Woburn. To learn more, call (781) 756-4788.