The study assessed the efficacy of peer counseling to promote exclusive breastfeeding among low-income inner-city women in Hartford, Connecticut. The results indicated that well-structured intensive breastfeeding support provided by hospital and community-based peer counselors was effective in improving exclusive breastfeeding rates among low-income inner-city women.
This study estimated the effect of WIC participation from 1999 to 2000 on breastfeeding initiation and duration, as well as on well-child care. The results showed that WIC participation was associated with increased likelihood of initiating breastfeeding and having at least four well-child visits since birth. Both behaviors benefit infants beyond the newborn period.
The authors analyzed data from the Ross Mothers Survey rates for breastfeeding in the hospital and at 6 months within four geographic regions of the US. The results showed that college education and non-participation in the WIC Program were the strongest predictors of breastfeeding in the hospital.
This study examines a range of innovative practices at 20 state or local WIC agencies. The researchers focused on practices in three main areas: breastfeeding promotion and support (including peer counseling and programs for high-risk groups); nutrition and health education (including obesity prevention, preventive healthcare, and staff training); and service delivery (such as home and workplace visits). For each innovative program, the authors provided background information and discussed the source of the innovation, key challenges, implementation lessons learned, evidence of its success, and the feasibility of replicating the practice.
The author explored infant-feeding beliefs and experiences of black women enrolled in WIC (BWEW) in a New York metropolitan inner city. The following were among the major themes that emerged from this analysis: (1) formula-feeding experiences were the norm for most BWEW; (2) life experiences of BWEW included a preponderance of loss and stress; and (3) infant-feeding beliefs of BWEW reflected responses to life experiences.
Mississippi was selected as a pilot state in the national breastfeeding promotion campaign titled Loving Support Makes Breastfeeding Work; To reinforce the national project, the Mississippi WIC Breastfeeding Promotion Project Team developed a comprehensive program that included patient and family education, staff training, public awareness activities, health professional outreach, and partnership with the community. WIC staff cited staff training, community outreach, and peer counseling as the most beneficial activities.
To evaluate the effectiveness of an existing breastfeeding peer counseling program within the US, researchers conducted a randomized control trial, with peer counseling as an intervention. The proportion of mothers who initiated breastfeeding was significantly higher in the intervention group. These findings demonstrated that, in the US, peer counselors could significantly improve breastfeeding initiation and duration rates.
The goals for this study were (1) to identify interventions to increase the incidence, duration, and intensity of breastfeeding among women participating in WIC and (2) to design an evaluation plan to examine the implementation and effectiveness of these interventions.
This study involved conducting focus group discussions on breastfeeding beliefs and perceptions with low-income pregnant women and new mothers receiving services from WIC. Participants identified time, embarrassment, and pain as barriers to breastfeeding; discussed decision-making efforts regarding breastfeeding; identified cultural beliefs related to breastfeeding; and discussed the lack of care-provider support for breastfeeding.
This study assessed the impact of an educational breastfeeding intervention on the knowledge, attitudes, and perceived ability to access breastfeeding resources among Spanish-speaking Latino families making breastfeeding decisions. The results suggested that teaching a lactation class in Spanish to Latino women significantly increased their willingness to breastfeed. It also empowered them by increasing their belief that they could breastfeed, even if they worked or attended school; that they would not have a problem with insufficient milk; and that they would not need to limit their diet to breastfeed.
