A community intervention was created to bridge the gap between the local health system and the WIC breastfeeding program to expedite early breastfeeding support for mothers of late preterm infants.
Mothers enrolled in WIC had access to the 18-30 week intervention program. The intervention group was more likely to meet their breastfeeding goals (however the sample was small n-50).
Receipt of peer services was positively associated with breastfeeding initiation and continued breastfeeding from birth through 12 months postpartum, with no significant differences between race, ethnicity or mother's country of origin.
In African American enrolled in WIC, there was no relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and maternal control over physical activity or child eating behaviors. Findings also revealed moderate to high levels of maternal control among WIC participants who breastfed for 3 months.
The results for early introduction of solid foods indicated that Hispanic mothers in WIC are less likely to introduce solid food early and add cereal to a baby’s bottle.
The studies show an increase in breastfeeding rates among WIC participants in the past 2 decades, including an increased access to supports. However additional research is needed to understand universal breastfeeding indicators.
The article supports taking multiple measures to support breastfeeding in the WIC population, including food package incentives, counselors, and extended incentives if the mother continues to breastfeed
WIC Nutritionists in Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale counties have positive attitudes toward breastfeeding and provide support for mothers seeking it in the form of education and resources early in pregnancy. Each clinic should have the opportunity to determine the key barriers to breastfeeding in their clinic population and find evidence-based interventions that will best serve their clients.
