- Pregnancy & Birth, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogUnderstanding the importance of breastfeeding is key to setting your personal goals. Breast milk is what babies are meant to eat. It’s a natural source of nutrition and provides the healthiest start for an infant, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). They recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months (although any amount of time you breastfeed is beneficial) and say it’s an investment in the short- and long-term health of your baby, as opposed to just a lifestyle choice. Breast milk contains all the necessary vitamins and nutrients your baby needs in the first six months of life. The nutritional makeup of your breast milk will actually change to meet your baby’s changing needs. But the benefits of breastfeeding extend beyond basic nutrition for your baby and are also not limited to just mom and baby. Here are some of the amazing benefits of breastfeeding: Benefits of breastfeeding for Baby Breastfed babies have fewer episodes of infections and illnesses. It can reduce the chance of developing chronic disease later in life, such as diabetes and asthma. Breast milk is full of antibodies and nutrients that help the immune system and digestive tract. It can help brain and eye development. It increases bonding and helps baby form a secure attachment with mom. Benefits for Mom It reduces the risk of developing cervical and breast cancers. It saves money! You already have all the milk you need to feed your baby. Breastfeeding helps the uterus shrink back to pre-pregnancy size and many moms find it easier to return to pre-baby weight. It releases hormones in your body that make you feel relaxed and closer with your baby. It’s an easy way to feed on the go! It’s always at the perfect temperature and ready to go when baby is hungry. Benefits for Family It saves money! You already have all the milk you need to feed your baby. Breastfeeding allows the family to bond. Spouses can be an important part of breastfeeding by rocking and burping the baby and making sure mom is nourished too! Benefits for the Community Breastfeeding is environmentally friendly since it really is all natural! It saves water, it doesn’t use energy for manufacturing, and it also doesn’t pollute the environment with garbage or pollution from manufacturing facilities. Breastfed babies are at a lower risk for obesity and chronic illness, which can help create an overall healthier community! For more information on the benefits of breastfeeding we recommend reading the American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement: Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk. Breastfeeding Resources LHAAMC has a variety of ways to engage with professionals and community members who have experience with breastfeeding. Learn more about our breastfeeding resources or sign up for a future class or support group. Breastfeeding Warm Line: Anne Arundel Medical Center’s lactation staff is available to answer any questions you might have about breastfeeding. You can reach our consultants seven days a week via our Warm Line at 443-481-6977. Simply leave a message and they’ll return your call between 9 am and 4 pm the same day. Find a Lactation Consultant: A board-certified lactation consultant can help address your breastfeeding concerns or challenges. You can find one in your area through the United States Lactation Consultant Association directory.
- Community, Stroke Care, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogNine years after a stroke left Judy Crane with such severe speech deficits that she had difficulty being understood, the 56-year-old Millersville resident has become an articulate and outspoken advocate for stroke patients. One of 90 patient advisors at AAMC, Judy sits on the stroke advisory committee and the patient advisory council. In both roles, she provides hospital staff with the patient perspective that helps them provide patient-centered care, reaching beyond a patient’s medical needs. When I was invited to be a patient advisor on the stroke committee, I thought it was kind of intriguing that they even want a patient to be on their committee. The committee gets together once a month to review the stroke cases, looking for how they can make things better. Anybody that has anything to do with a patient is there. The doctors and nurses, the pharmacy and lab, radiology, they look at the whole gamut. When topics come up, I look at them from my experience and also other people’s experiences and I provide the “bedside” view. If I can add something about how a patient would feel about it, I give my input. One of the things I asked at the stroke committee was if anybody was willing to volunteer to start a stroke support group. Right there, three people volunteered. One is a speech therapist; one’s a physical therapist and one an occupational therapist. When I had my stroke, I really needed to be able to talk to somebody who had experienced this. There are so many questions. Will I be able to work? What about disability? What are some tips that can help me in relating to my kids, my spouse, my friends. I mean it goes on and on. The group is a great sounding board and it’s wonderful for the staff too because they can see how patients manage afterward, and we can give feedback to the hospital about how things went. Now, I’m also on the patient-family advisor council. That’s a bigger group that helps some of the staff come up with patient-centered care goals and initiatives. One goal is educating staff so everyone understands what patient-centered care really is. Sometimes it’s as simple as giving a patient hope, or encouraging them to be a part of their recovery process. It’s all about really looking at each patient individually, and empowering both the patient and their families to be engaged in their treatment and recovery. To learn more about the Stroke Support Group contact Laurie Neely, physical therapist, or Jennifer Irving, speech-language pathologist or by phone: 443-481-6872. To find out how to become a patient advisor contact Jeanne Morris, advisor coordinator, at 443-481-6054.
- Stroke CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAAMC’s Power of 2 Peer Mentorship Program matches recent stroke survivors with mentors who have also survived a stroke. After completing a training program, mentors work with recent stroke survivors. Mentors give survivors an opportunity to ask questions, discuss challenges and confront emotions. They offer encouragement, hope and understanding. To learn more, call 443-481-4585.
- News & Press Releases, Stroke CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLuminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC) has received the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability. Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times. Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines – Stroke is a national program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death. “LHAAMC is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Minas Gebru, MD, the medical director for the LHAAMC stroke program. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. We use the data from GWTG every day to drive and guide our program decisions. The end goal is to ensure more people can experience longer, healthier lives.” Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home. LHAAMC also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.
- Men's Health, Stroke Care, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogOne year after suffering a stroke, 47-year-old Ray Torreon says the AAMC Stroke Club has played an important role in helping him recover from and learn to adjust to life after stroke. At those early stroke club meetings . . . I didn’t intend to, but I broke down and cried. The support I got from them lifted my spirits, gave me hope. That’s what the stroke club does. The volunteers that run it from the hospital are a great resource and the educational topics are helpful in terms of learning about stroke, about medication, therapy, the division of rehab services and what’s out there as far as getting a job. But as important as that it, the fellowship of having people who have been on this same journey is what I needed. Other stroke patients understand how alienating and isolating it is— how alone you are even if you have people around you. Everyone’s stroke is different, but everyone in the stroke club has been depressed and has lost things and doesn’t know what the future holds for them. I was a Capitol Hill lobbyist. I was a sales person running a 12 million dollar store. My speech was my trade and someone listening to me now might say my speech is fine, but I’m struggling because I don’t have the fluency I once had. I have never in my entire life struggled for words. I could sell ice cream to Eskimos. I don’t feel that way now. Other stroke patients understand that. Even as everyone else says, “Oh, you look good, or you sound fine,” the stroke patient inwardly shakes his or her head and thinks, “No, I don’t feel fine.” I’m not recovered fully. I have deficits and even though I appear fine to you, I feel sad that I’ve lost some abilities that I know I used to have.” You mourn for the person you were. In the stroke club you come to realize that they’ve had the same journey. There are people with severe aphasia. There are people who were in a wheelchair in the beginning and now they’re walking with a cane or a walker. That’s good to see. Over time, we’ve sort of developed a core group, and we want to expand this to really touch as many other stroke patients as possible. We’re looking for active members and we’re planning more activities outside the stroke club just to socialize and help people along the path to finding a new life. A stroke literally blows up your life, and you have to put the pieces back together. The other members of the stroke club and I would like to help survivors put their lives back together more quickly than they can alone. To learn more about the Stroke Support Group contact Laurie Neely, physical therapist, or Jennifer Irving, speech-language pathologist or by phone: 443-481-6872. Visit our askAAMC to find out more about the support groups and services we offer to all members of our community.
How can we help?
Common Searches
Common Searches
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?
Your Account
View your Dashboard
Messages
Find Care
Schedule Appointment
My Care Team
My Record
Appointments
Medications
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?