Just in time for the Centre County Grange Fair, Mount Nittany Health has created a permanent nursing and lactation space at Grange Park campgrounds in Centre Hall.
The new building, which is free to use and located near the playground, is designed to be a comfortable, relaxing and private space where babies can be fed.
Registered nurse Alexandra Strouse, of Mount Nittany’s Mother and Baby Unit, provides lactation services to postpartum parents and saw the need for the space at the campgrounds.
“I attend the Grange Fair every year with my family, and I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to offer a space where parents could go to feed and change their babies and take a moment to rest,” Strouse said in a press release.
The air-conditioned, standalone building includes chairs and outlets that can also be used by mothers who need to pump or prepare bottles for their babies.
“Too often breastfeeding mothers will feel as if they need to miss family events like the Grange Fair in order to accommodate their baby’s feeding schedule,” Strouse said. “It’s important for new parents to get out and be social. And even with breastfeeding covers that many women use in public, babies may be unhappy about the different environment and not eat properly.”
Mount Nittany established a nursing and lactation space at Schlow Centre Region Library in January.
Mount Nittany Health to Host Health Walk, Skin Cancer Screenings
The new nursing and lactation space isn’t Mount Nittany Health’s only presence at the Grange Fair.
At 9 a.m. on Friday, fairgoers are invited to the Grandstand for the 12th Annual Mount Nittany Health Walk Kickoff. The 1-mile walk around the fairgrounds encourages attendees to get the exercise that can improve overall fitness and health.
Participants can use the Mount Nittany Health Passport to track their progress throughout the week, with a goal of walking a mile a day. Walkers can log their mileage in the passport, which is available at Mount Nittany’s booth and in the library, and get it stamped. The first 100 walkers with at least five stamps on their passports will receive a special gift. Passports are included in Grange Fair welcome bags and can also be picked up each morning at the Health Walk.
A Health Walk Celebration will be held at 1 p.m. on Aug. 25 at the Jubilee Grove.
From from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Drs. William Wagner and Karissa Thal will be on site to provide free skin cancer screenings for fairgoers.
“At Mount Nittany Health, our mission is ‘healthier people, stronger community,’ and that’s why we are pleased to offer this free service to the local community,” said Ashley Mekis, manager of Cancer Services. “We wanted to make the process as easy as possible for fairgoers to get their screening while still enjoying all that the Grange Fair has to offer.”
Physicians will perform a visual inspection of the skin, including any moles, to identify any signs of skin cancer. The screenings will take approximately 20 minutes and fairgoers can sign up at the table, which will be located behind the Sponsor of the Day tent, for a time slot or walk-in appointment if time is available.
The physicians will go over any next steps, including scheduling follow-up appointments with a primary care provider or dermatologist.
