VCU Health to provide tents for nursing moms at Richmond Folk Festival

By Leha Byrd

Rain or shine, the Richmond Folk Festival will take place Oct. 7–9 at Brown’s Island Park in the city’s downtown area. And, thanks to VCU Health, weather conditions also won’t affect the family-friendly nature of the event.    

VCU Health lactation consultant staff will be manning two tents at the festival to give nursing moms a comfortable place to breastfeed. One tent will be located close to the CarMax and Community Foundation Stage. The other will be on Brown’s Island near the Dominion Dance Pavilion. They will be available during the event’s family hours, Oct. 8–9 from noon to 6 p.m.

VCU Health is providing the tents as part of its sponsorship of the festival. Comfortable chairs, changing tables, and other amenities will also be available to moms and babies. Community events are an opportune time for VCU Health to promote and offer their services locally, officials said.

“Providing an inviting space for mothers to breastfeed at this family-friendly festival is just one of the many ways that VCU Health is directly benefitting the health of moms, babies and families,” said Valerie Coleman, coordinator of Family Life Education, Women’s Health Community Outreach and Lactation Services, VCU Health. “As a Baby-Friendly designated hospital, we feel that it is our duty to provide this service, and is a natural extension of our efforts to support the mothers and children in the commonwealth and to improve health outcomes.”

In 2015, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center was awarded a Baby-Friendly designation after meeting stringent criteria for providing an excellent level of attention to newborn feeding and mother-baby bonding. It is the only hospital in Greater Richmond, and one of only seven organizations in Virginia, to receive the accreditation, which is part of a global initiative by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund.

The Richmond Folk Festival celebrates a variety of American culture through music, dance, traditional craft and food, and features more than 30 performing groups on seven live music stages.

“We are excited to be part of this event in a way that benefits and supports the Richmond community, and the moms who are so important to it,” Coleman said.

For more information about the festival, visit richmondfolkfestival.org. 

 

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