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Breastfeeding Promotion and Support in WIC
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Email Updates
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Research has shown that there is no better food than breast milk for a baby’s first year of life. Breastfeeding provides many health, nutritional, economical and emotional benefits to mother and baby. Since a major goal of the WIC Program is to improve the nutritional status of infants, WIC mothers are encouraged to breastfeed their
infants. WIC has historically promoted breastfeeding to all pregnant women as the optimal infant feeding choice, unless medically contraindicated.
- WIC mothers choosing to breastfeed are provided information through counseling and breastfeeding educational materials.
- Breastfeeding mothers receive follow-up support through peer counselors.
- Breastfeeding mothers are eligible to participate in WIC longer than non-breastfeeding mothers.
- Mothers who exclusively breastfeed their infants receive an enhanced food package.
- Breastfeeding mothers can receive breast pumps, breast shells or nursing supplementers to help support the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding.
FY 2011 WIC Breastfeeding
Data
Local Agency Report
Released October 2012
FY 2010 WIC Breastfeeding
Data
Local Agency Report
Released December 2011
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Institute of Medicine Report:
"Updating the USDA National
Breastfeeding Campaign - Workshop Summary"
Released September 21, 2011 |
WIC
Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Study Final Implementation Report
June 2010
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) undertook the WIC Breastfeeding
Peer Counseling study to understand both the way that breastfeeding
peer counseling grants are being used, and their impact on
breastfeeding among WIC participants. It will ultimately provide a
comprehensive and systematic picture of the implementation and
impact of the Loving Support Peer Counseling program. This
initial report, which looked at grants provided in FY 2007 and 2009,
focuses on implementation, describing the process by which States
implemented the Loving Support model, and how funds are being
used. It also describes general characteristics and operational
issues in a sample of local WIC agencies implementing the program,
and explores five agencies in more depth through local case studies.
A second study, on the impact of an enhancement of the Loving
Support Peer Counseling Program on breastfeeding outcomes for WIC
participants, is underway. |
Contact a State Breastfeeding Coordinator |
Breastfeeding Food Package Guidance
Issued May 20, 2009 |
"Loving Support Makes Breastfeeding Work" is the name of the WIC breastfeeding promotion campaign,
which is national in scope and being implemented at the State
agency level. The goals of the campaign are to: encourage
WIC participants to initiate and continue breastfeeding;
increase referrals to WIC for breastfeeding support; increase
general public acceptance and support of breastfeeding; and
provide technical assistance to WIC State and local agency
professionals in the promotion of breastfeeding.
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Daily Food Plans for Pregnancy and
Breastfeeding
(links
to ChooseMyPlate.gov website) MyPyramid Tips for Breastfeeding
Moms
MyPyramid in Action: Tips for Breastfeeding Moms
MiPirámide en Acción: Consejos para Mamás en Período de
Lactancia
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Legislative History of
Breastfeeding Promotion Requirements in WIC |
Current Federal Requirements
(updated November 2009) |
Breastfeeding Promotion
Consortium (BPC) |
FNS Breastfeeding Mothers' Room |
Publications - Resources for
WIC Clinics |
For more
breastfeeding information, contact your State agency’s
breastfeeding coordinator
or visit the National Women’s Health Information Center web
site at
www.womenshealth.gov/Breastfeeding/
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Last modified 10/16/12
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