The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee announced that the theme for National Breastfeeding Month in 2026 is RISE, which stands for Resilience, Interdependence, Self-determination, and Empowerment. The theme highlights the heart and strength of the First Food field and the network’s advocacy work to create a landscape of breastfeeding support for every family.
Rice County Public Health’s lactation counselors do just that. They strive to meet families where they are at in their feeding journey and support them to meet their feeding goals. The team consists of six members: Fae Schumacher, Kiera LaRoche, Heather Luethje, Hannah Stimson, Kathy Neirby, and Amanda Johnson.
Lactation counselors have special training and competence in lactation skills. They are able to assess the latch and feeding process and can counsel mothers and provide corrective interventions to commonly encountered situations such as breast/nipple issues, feeding problems, and breastmilk management issues.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months after birth. At six months breastfeeding should continue while introducing solid foods until the infant is one, and as long as mutually desired by mother and child for 2 years or beyond.
The Minnesota Department of Health lists several reasons why breastfeeding is beneficial. Breastfeeding is healthy for babies, good for moms, and helps families.
Visit health.state.mn.us/people/breastfeeding/whybf.html for more information and answers to common questions as well as information about Minnesota laws protecting breastfeeding.
When it comes to breastfeeding, Rice County Public Health takes a family-centered approach.
Schumacher, LaRoche, Luethje, Stimson and Johnson are registered nurses and are available for prenatal and postpartum visits with families to answer any breastfeeding questions or concerns they may have from the comfort of their home. Neirby is a dietitian and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) coordinator at Rice County Public Health, providing education and support to WIC families.
In addition, staff attend free weekly baby support groups, working collaboratively with local Early childhood Family Education programs in Northfield (Baby Talk 10:30 a.m. – noon every Wednesday) and Faribault (Baby Stop 10:30 a.m. - noon every Thursday). Northfield Hospital and Clinics’ Lactation Consultant, Nicole Martens also attends. These groups support parents with babies from 0 -12 weeks, and are a time for sharing joys and challenges, and answering questions. Babies can also be weighed.
All staff in the Family Child Health and WIC units at Rice County Public Health have extensive training and experience with breastfeeding and can serve as a resource to Rice County families to support breastfeeding mothers.
Individuals may self-refer or ask their provider to refer them for Public Health services.
For more information, call 507-332-6111 and ask for a Family Child Health nurse or complete an online referral form at https://bit.ly/RiceCo_PublicHealthReferral.
