Peer Counseling

Breastfeeding Outcomes in Washington State: Determining the Effect of Loving Support Peer Counseling Program and Characteristics of Participants at WIC

The peer support counseling intervention improved breastfeeding duation and initation in the two trial clinics in Washington State. "The likelihood that women enrolled in WIC would initiate BF at Public Health Seattle and King County Clinics increased by 3%, whereas those in Catholic Health Initatives Franciscan Medical Group clinics increased by 6.8%. Women receiving services in smaller PHSKC clinics (n < 60 women) were likely to breastfeed their infants at >1 week."

Strengths and Challenges of the Alaska WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program: A Qualitative Study of Program Implementation

The intervention program was successful and used texting and online support groups for women. The programs accesibility, relatability and knowledge were listed as the positive elements while confusion about the programs role, limited hours, funding and in person contact was listed as limitations.

A Community Partnership to Support Breastfeeding Mothers of Late Preterm Infants

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.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Text Message Intervention Used as an Adjunct Tool by WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counsellors: The LATCH Pilot

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).

Associations Between Peer Counseling and Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration: An Analysis of Minnesota Participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

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.

Perspectives on Infant Feeding Beliefs, Attitudes, and Practices of Hispanic Mothers Enrolled in WIC: Implications for Breastfeeding Peer Counseling

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.

An Assessment of the Social Cognitive Predictors of Exclusive Breastfeeding Behavior Using the Health Action Process Approach

These results demonstrate the utility of the HAPA model in predicting exclusive breastfeeding behavior among low-income women attending WIC. LATCH is a theoretically sound text messaging intervention that can be used to augment and reinforce the WIC breastfeeding peer counseling process.

Barriers to Breastfeeding in the WIC Population

Factors predisposing to lower BF rates include non-Hispanic ethnicity, obesity, depression, younger age, or an incomplete high school education.

Breastfeeding Protection, Promotion, and Support in the United States: A Time to Nudge, a Time to Measure

Breastfeeding rates in the United States can improve based on a well coordinated social marketing framework including mass media, appropriate facility based and community based support, WIC-coordinated community based peer counseling, and adequate protection for working women.

Peer Counseling, Breastfeeding and Voucher Redemption Among WIC Participants: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment

This study will test whether increases in breastfeeding result in lower food package redemption costs for each mother/infant pair up to 6 months postpartum.