I'm pleased to share a guest post today by Rachel Colchamiro, Director of Nutrition Services, and Breastfeeding Coordinator for the state of Massachusetts.
I asked Rachel to write about the new package of benefits for breastfeeding moms participating in the WIC, the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.
As you'll see, some recent changes make it especially beneficial to breastfeed exclusively.
This past October, WIC
programs across the country rolled out the first major changes to WIC foods in
34 years!
The changes are exciting. Families can now receive fruits, vegetables,
whole grains and baby food as well as stronger support for breastfeeding.
From the wonderful
feelings that nursing brings—to the long list of illnesses that breastfeeding
protects against for both infants and their mothers—nothing compares to
breastfeeding. WIC knows that breastfeeding
is the best choice for most families.
To get breastfeeding off
to the best possible start, the new WIC food package strongly encourages
exclusive breastfeeding. Since giving
formula in the early weeks may prevent mothers from making enough breast milk,
WIC helps protect a mother’s milk supply by not offering formula to breastfed
babies in the first month of life.
In
turn, fully breastfeeding mothers receive a greater variety and amount of foods
than anyone else participating in the program. Fully breastfed infants receive more than twice the amount of baby foods
than formula-fed babies from six months of age until their first birthday. Throughout an infant’s first year of life,
the new WIC benefits are greater for women who choose to offer their babies
more breastmilk than formula.
WIC is so much more than
a food program. Families receiving WIC
benefits receive nutrition education, health assessment and referrals in
addition to their checks for healthy foods.
During pregnancy and after babies are born, WIC offers a wide variety of
free breastfeeding services. Families
can always come to WIC with questions about feeding babies and for
breastfeeding support. Many WIC programs offer
mother-to-mother breastfeeding peer counseling and some even provide access to breast pumps.
For more information about the WIC program
and the new food packages, please call 1-800-WIC-1007 or visit the national WIC website.
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