The Dominican Republic has the lowest breastfeeding rate in the Caribbean region, with less than 8 percent of infants being breastfed exclusively under six months old. Extreme poverty rates in smaller villages contribute to a high maternal infant mortality rate as well.
Meaghan Guzman, CLC, first visited the Dominican Republic in 2006 and noticed the reality quickly. After returning home, she began to gather essentials for daily living, including breastfeeding supplies. In 2016, her non-profit organization, Debajo de Las Palmas – Under the Palms in Dominican Republic Inc., launched with the mission to enrich the lives of children and families through breastfeeding education and more.
Last year, in 2017, the organization provided manual breast pumps and some electric breast pumps to the hospital in the area. Guzman also included educational training sheets and information packets about Skin to Skin from Healthy Children Project for the hospital, and supplied the rural village women with Spanish breastfeeding literature.
In addition to Guzman’s work abroad, she also runs a lactation practice, teaches breastfeeding classes and provides postpartum doula support.
The Dominican Republic has the lowest breastfeeding rate in the Caribbean region, with less than 8 percent of infants being breastfed exclusively under six months old. Extreme poverty rates in smaller villages contribute to a high maternal infant mortality rate as well.
Meaghan Guzman, CLC, first visited the Dominican Republic in 2006 and noticed the reality quickly. After returning home, she began to gather essentials for daily living, including breastfeeding supplies. In 2016, her non-profit organization, Debajo de Las Palmas – Under the Palms in Dominican Republic Inc., launched with the mission to enrich the lives of children and families through breastfeeding education and more.
Guzman took the Lactation Counselor Training Course (LCTC) to become a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) in 2016.
Last year, in 2017, the organization provided manual breast pumps and some electric breast pumps to the hospital in the area. Guzman also included educational training sheets and information packets about Skin to Skin from Healthy Children Project for the hospital, and supplied the rural village women with Spanish breastfeeding literature.
In addition to Guzman’s work abroad, she also runs a lactation practice, teaches breastfeeding classes and provides postpartum doula support.