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Breastfeeding: A WIC Priority

• Improves health outcomes for infants– Fewer infections and disease– Improved IQ– Lower rates of obesity and diabetes

• Improves health outcomes for mothers– Faster recovery from pregnancy– Lower risk of breast cancer

• Reduces health care costs

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WIC Breastfeeding Rates

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Initiation

Healthy People 2010 Goal State WIC (14.51%)

Northwest Region (21.06%) Central Region (14.28%)

Southwest Region (12.73%) Northeast Region (10.90%)

Southeast Region (7.36%) WIC Rates 12/2006

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Peer CounselingMakes A Difference!

• Improves initiation and duration rates among women in:– Disadvantaged populations– Varied cultural groups– Urban and rural settings

• Peer counseling has been used effectively in many WIC State and local agencies across the U.S.

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Who Are Peer Counselors?

• Experienced breastfeeding mothers • Ideally a current or previous WIC client• Ideally from the same population group as

that served by WIC• Enthusiastic about breastfeeding, and helping

other mothers enjoy a positive experience• Provide basic breastfeeding information and

support to WIC mothers

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The Power OfMother-To-Mother Connections

“That’s what it’s all about…moms helping moms.

WIC Peer Counselor

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How Peer Counselors Help

• Serve as a model for breastfeeding• Establish a connection with the family• Help mothers prevent and manage common

concerns with breastfeeding• Provide ongoing encouragement to help mother

meet her breastfeeding goals• Link to breastfeeding help beyond the

usual 8-to-5 services• Fill the gap in services immediately after hospital

discharge for seamless continuity of care

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WIC Healthcare Team

• As part of the WIC healthcare team, peer counselors:– Free up staff time by taking time to help mothers

explore and address barriers and concerns

– Make referrals to WIC staff if mother has questions or concerns outside her scope

– Promote WIC with participants and family members, encouraging participation

– Provide information for WIC team that affect health and nutritional status of client and her children

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USDA’s Vision ForPeer Counseling

• Institutionalize peer counseling as a core service in WIC

• Provide leadership and resources to equip State and local WIC agencies with implementing peer counseling programs

• Provide “model” for peer counseling programs to follow

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Basic Job ResponsibilitiesFor Peer Counselors

• Accept referrals of pregnant and breastfeeding WIC clients for follow-up

• Contact women at critical intervals– Monthly during pregnancy– Frequently during early days of breastfeeding– Monthly as long as baby is breastfeeding

• Be available to mothers beyond usual WIC clinic hours

• Document all contacts with mothers• Make referrals of women with concerns

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Job Settings

• Health Clinics• Clinic visits • Home visits• Hospital visits

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Peer CounselorsAre Well Trained!

• Attend formal series of breastfeeding classes

• Personal study • Observe/shadow a

lactation professional (such as an IBCLC or senior peer counselor)

• Observe WIC nutritionist• Ongoing training

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Compensation

• Full time Grade 15 position

• Will complete weekly activity reports and submit to supervisor

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Supervision

Peer counselors will:• Be supervised by local

agency coordinator• Receive weekly contacts

from supervisor• Attend monthly

staff meetings• Complete contact logs • Have work

spot checked

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A Little UnderstandingGoes A Long Way!

• This may be the peer counselor’s first job• Mentor her by modeling professionalism• As a WIC participant herself, her life has similar

stresses to other WIC clients • Loneliness and stress of listening to other people’s

problems can lead to burnout• Although she may “come and go” to the clinic, she is

on call to handle emergency breastfeeding situations

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How You Can SupportPeer Counselors

• Tell her she’s a valued member of the WIC team! • Assist in recruiting qualified peer counselors• Provide referrals of pregnant and breastfeeding

WIC clients• Include peer counselors in WIC clinic meetings

and activities • Reinforce her education to WIC mothers with

consistent, accurate breastfeeding information

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Create A Breastfeeding-FriendlyEnvironment In The WIC Clinic

• Stay up to date with your own breastfeeding knowledge

• Ensure the WIC clinic provides positive messages of Loving Support for breastfeeding

• Actively promote the peer counseling program with WIC participants

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“One of the most important things we can do is to nurture and support our peer counselors. We find that the more we do to encourage and support them, the better they are at working with WIC moms.”

WIC Staff Member

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Peer Counseling: Making ADifference For WIC Families!

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For more information about the WIC Breastfeeding Peer

Counselor Program:Teresa Gates, RN,IBCLC

WIC BF PC Program ManagerVan Buren County Health Unit

PO Box 452 526 Quality DriveClinton, AR 72031

teresa.gates@arkansas.govOffice: 501-745-2485Cell: 501-206-5286