This article explored some of the successes and applications of the USDAs ongoing campaign,;Loving Support Makes Breastfeeding Work,” with respect to breastfeeding promotion and support. Based on social marketing principles to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among WIC participants, WIC breastfeeding initiation and duration rates have improved significantly since initiation of the campaign in 1997. The author concluded that it is important to create social marketing campaigns that target societal forces that affect a woman ;s decision and capability to breastfeed. These include family and friends, healthcare providers, employers, formula industry, and legislators.
This critical review aimed to identify and assess US-based randomized trials, by evaluating breastfeeding interventions that targeted minorities. Peer counseling interventions, breastfeeding-specific clinic appointments, group prenatal education, and hospital/WIC enhancements all greatly improved breastfeeding initiation, duration, of exclusivity.
This study explored the associations between breastfeeding initiation and the availability of WIC-based breastfeeding support, as well as the racial and ethnic composition of WIC clients in North Carolina. The study found that breastfeeding initiation by site was negatively associated with the percentage of African-American clients and positively associated with percentage of white or Hispanic clients.
This study explored whether breastfeeding patterns during the period between birth and postnatal WIC certification differed by participation in a local WIC agency that provided breastfeeding peer counselor support (PC), versus two comparison groups: the lactation consultant (LC) and standard care (SC) groups. The breastfeeding initiation rate was higher for the PC group, compared with the LC and SC groups. Participants in the PC group were also more likely to certify as exclusively and partially breastfeeding, compared with those in the LC and SC groups.
The researchers outlined the results from a process evaluation, analyzing the implementation of the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program at the state and local agency levels.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the peer counseling (PC) program on breastfeeding initiation among WIC Program participants in Missouri. Results showed that the breastfeeding initiation rate in PC agencies was significantly higher than the rate in non-PC agencies, among prenatal participants. However, the difference was not significant among postpartum participants. Prenatal participation in the WIC breastfeeding PC program (especially, participation early during pregnancy) was associated with an increased rate of breastfeeding initiation in Missouri.
This cohort study compared breastfeeding duration between Hispanic couples who enrolled in the pilot Peer Dad Program and those who did not enroll. Mothers whose partner participated in the Peer Dad Program were no more likely to continue breastfeeding past 6 months, than were mothers who received peer counseling only.
The authors pursued a systematic review of (1) the randomized trials assessing the effectiveness of breastfeeding peer counseling in improving rates of breastfeeding initiation, duration, exclusivity, and maternal and child health outcomes and (2) scientific literature describing the scale-up of breastfeeding peer counseling programs. Evidence from randomized controlled trials indicated that peer counselors effectively improved rates of breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity.
This study examines the effectiveness of a peer counseling breastfeeding support program for low-income women in Michigan who participated in the WIC Program. The support program that the researchers evaluated was very effective at increasing breastfeeding among low-income women who participated in WIC, a population that breastfeeds at rates below the national average.
This study examines Maryland's WIC breastfeeding self-reported initiation rates by participation in one of three groups: (1) peer counselor (PC-treatment) group, (2) lactation consultant (LC) group, and (3) standard care (SC) group. Results showed that the odds of breastfeeding initiation were significantly greater among PC-exposed infants, compared with the reference group of SC infants, but not significantly different between LC and the SC infants. In the Maryland WIC Program, breastfeeding initiation rates were positively associated with peer counseling.
