By PHYLLIS J. ZORN

Hays Daily News

Heather Hardy didn't consider any option but breast feeding her son, Austin.

"I'm a nurse and I know that breast is best, and I was looking forward to bonding with him," Hardy said.

Hardy said that as a nurse working in the labor and delivery area of Hays Medical Center, she encourages mothers to give breast feeding a try because that's the best thing for the babies, but to choose the option that works out best for them in their particular circumstances.

For Hardy and Austin, now 6Ôªø1Ñ2 weeks old, breast feeding has gone as smoothly as could be imagined.

"He's done awesome since we came home," Hardy said. "He's breast fed like a champ the whole time."

Austin has grown well since his birth at 8 pounds, 1 ounce.

"We went to the doctor today, and he is 11 pounds, 2 ounces," Hardy said on Tuesday.

Hardy said her family has been supportive of her decision to breast feed instead of bottle feed her son. In addition, she's proud of her decision. The closeness of breast feeding comes with a bonus benefit of close bonding with her son.

"The only bottle feeding I'll do is when I go back to work -- but as for formula, I haven't even thought about that," Hardy said.

Jill Rozean's three children are 7, 3 and 18 months. She breast fed all three.

"I think there can be challenges in breast feeding," Rozean said. "One of them that I faced was going back to work while breast feeding. It just meant a little more commitment in terms of keeping my breast milk established and continuing."

Rozean believes breast feeding or not is a personal choice for the mom, but she doesn't hesitate to point out that it has benefits that bottle feeding does not.

"I think that breast feeding is a wonderful opportunity for moms and their babies," Rozean said. "There is a special bonding that happens between a breast-feeding mom and her baby, and I think that's very special."

Today through Aug. 8 is World Breastfeeding Week, when organizations such as the Hays Interagency Coordinating Council emphasize awareness of the benefits of breast feeding infants.

Mothers who deliver babies at HMC during the month of August and initiate breast feeding will be given special gifts and be entered into drawings for prizes including Boppy pillows from Parents as Teachers and Healthy Start, a massage from the Wellness Center, pedicure and manicure from Hott Headz, halo sleep sacks from Health Start, and a copy of "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" from the La Leche League.

Elaine Rupp, Healthy Start home visitor and breast feeding educator, said it's important to be aware that support services for breast feeding moms are available in Ellis County.

"Healthy Start provides education and support to pregnant women and families with children," Rupp said. "It is designed to give infants a healthy start in life and help parents with information that will enable them to be effective parents."

Rupp noted that parents have many decisions to make during pregnancy and after their children are born. One of those decisions is how to best feed their babies.

"Breastfeeding provides a unique opportunity of closeness and comfort between a mother and her baby," Rupp said. "In addition, breast milk alone has the perfect specialized nutrition that only each mother can deliver to her baby. Few people know about the short and long term health benefits that human milk delivers.

"The World Health Organization, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other public health agencies for infant and women's health want mothers to know the best kept secret, which is breastfeeding is superior nutrition for baby's growth, it is an excellent health protection for mothers, and it can protect the environment."

Another breast feeding resource in Ellis County is Sandy Aldrich, the La Leche League leader for Hays. Aldrich can be reached at (785) 628-8440.

"Babies receive one of many benefits from breastfeeding within hours postpartum when they take in colostrum," Aldrich said. "La Leche League has referred to colostrum as 'liquid gold' because it is priceless as a source of protective immunities against disease.

"The importance of colostrum to the health of both the baby and the mother may help to explain why the theme chosen by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action for this year's 2007 World Breastfeeding Week is, 'Breastfeeding: The First Hours -- Save One Million Babies.' "

Reporter Phyllis Zorn can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 137, or by e-mail at phylz@dailynews.net.