BF Support Strategies in the CA WIC Program

Leslie Kaye was supposed to share on this but is out ill...so we are lucky to have Daisy, Michelle, and Jackie Kemp are here to tell us today.

Michelle shares that the CA WIC program is working hard to increase breastfeeding! There are 3 areas you should know:
NEW WIC FOOD PACKAGE: juice has been cut in half, more cultural choices, milk cheese and eggs cut in half to make room for whole grains and a cash value check for fruits and veggies! Formula amounts were the same before, did not matter how you were feeding. In teh second half of the year it was a lot of formula. Now it is based on the feeding choice and the amount that is actually needed. At 6 months is it cut in half and they get fruits and veggies as well as food and meats. No juice is gone until 1st birthday here. So new terminology was needed; fully breastfeeding mothers get twice the amount of infant foods at 6 months, mostly and some breastfeeding also defined. When they talked to families about this they get they will get more food if they breastfeed. If they want to breastfeed, there is no formula! We are helping the mother to build her supply, if she says she wants to get formula there is a process they go through to get it. Mothers can get some if they are breastfeeding a little but their food stops at 6 months. If they want formula they do a nutrition assessment, offer breastfeeding assistance, and work if there is a nutritional need with the smallest amount of formula given for one month. We want to keep them breastfeeding

So what has happened? In LA we have seen at one clinic; the only number not changed is mothers who only want to formula feed. However those who were combo feeding went down and exclusive breastfeeding went up. This change happened before food package even rolled out, just with language change that staff were making. You can make a small policy change and see what a positive impact as Michelle shares. The education worked PRIOR to the food change....we know it works!

Another change...
Every person on WIC payroll has to have 20 hours of BF training that must be done by Sept 2011 and many have started this.

Michelle shares that we had 2 million dollars to do peer counseling programs per year, but a note came through that the USDA was going to increase this. On Friday we found out that 4 million would be given....then the email came and 6 million was told the state would get....now over the weekend 12.3 million was given!!!!!!! Congress is giving this money and we need results.

Jackie Kemp now explains (in 5 minutes!) that she is a lone nurse at WIC : )
There are several peer counseling throughout the state in all settings. USDA has funded this in the past since 2004. They require we use the Loving Support Model and it was put together by Best Start. They gave training to all states, and there have been 15 programs funded in CA out of 82. All agencies have core services, but IBCLC's are availabel to refer to when out of their hands. Supervisor oversees as well. The most successful programs have done a community assessment and then geer towards that. Having an enhanced contact at certain intervals. Not just a phone call and not just one. Those that have on going training and support do better, have follow up meetings and talk about cases, refer cases quickly to an IBCLC who can work with them. Integrate within the WIC program so they are included into everything at WIC. Most successful work within the community; ;work with the hospitals, work with coalitions, reach out to providers, and educate other staff. From another LA program we see that a peer program helped! Rates were higher!