Bunnell, FL - On December 10 and again on January 14, a group of new mothers and their babies met at a local Starbucks in Palm Coast. The occasion? An opportunity to get out, learn more about breastfeeding, meet other moms and have some fun as part of the Baby Café, a new monthly support group brought to you by the Flagler County Health Department and its WIC (Women Infants Children) program.

Belisia (Bel) Velez, a health support technician and breastfeeding peer counselor for DOH-Flagler, explains why she and her colleagues wanted to create a support group for new moms.

"Baby Café really stems from our collective experience as moms," says Velez. "We wanted to give women, who are also our WIC clients, a monthly get-together they could look forward to. During these meet ups, moms can relax, vent, cry, learn, connect, have fun, and just get out of the house. Having a baby is an amazing experience, and we want new moms to know they have our full support especially when it comes to breastfeeding."

Felicia Danielle, who brought her daughter Lilly, enjoyed her first Baby Café and found the support group useful.

"Mothers who choose to breastfeed are more likely to meet their breastfeeding goals if they have a strong support group. Baby Cafe offers that to Flagler County moms," she said. "This is where you can meet other women who share your journey and understand the difficulties you face all while receiving guidance from an actual lactation consultant."

The health department offers its Baby Café the second Tuesday of each month at 4PM. The group meets at the Starbucks location on Belle Terre Blvd and State Road 100 in Palm Coast. There is no cost to attend and family members are welcome.

The next meeting will be Tuesday, February 11^th. For more information, please call Rochelle Stone at 386-313-7017.

About the Florida Department of Health

The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

For information about the Florida Department of Health in Flagler, go to flagler.floridahealth.gov, call 386-437-7350, or visit 301 Dr. Carter Blvd. in Bunnell.