Health & Fitness
Breastfeeding rates here are among tops in country
A new mom came to the health office to get formula for her baby; breastfeeding had become too painful. When she left, she was comfortably nursing her baby. What happened?
Help for new mom was a "game-changer"
A new mom on the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program at Bloomington Public Health came to the health office to get formula for her new baby because breastfeeding had become too painful. When she left, she was happy and relieved to be nursing her baby comfortably and pain-free.
What happened in between is the reason why breastfeeding rates among women in the Bloomington Public Health WIC program are so high. In fact, the Bloomington Public Health WIC program is one of few places in the country to surpass breastfeeding goals for Healthy People 2010 – and has already exceeded the goals for 2020!
Expertise and support rescue women from the "breastfeeding black hole"
Rosa, one of the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselors, listened to the mom explain how she no longer wanted to breastfeed. She offered the mom an opportunity to get help with breastfeeding, which she gladly accepted. The Bloomington Public Health WIC program is one of several in Minnesota with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant on staff to give expert breastfeeding help. It's this expertise combined with peer counselor support that makes the Bloomington Public Health WIC program unique and successful.
Find out what's happening in Richfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Lactation Consultant, Kay, said she and the peer counselors are able to reach breastfeeding women at a crucial moment that she calls "the black hole of breastfeeding." This is that time when women leave the hospital with their babies and there is no one around to help them breastfeed. Kay said, "Shorter hospital stays make it very hard for new moms leaving the hospital to get the support they need."
Data support health benefits and cost savings
The WIC program has long been a breastfeeding supporter because of its health benefits for moms and babies. "Another important benefit," Kay pointed out, "is healthcare savings and lives saved." She said if 90 percent of US families followed the recommendations to breastfeed exclusively for six months, the US would save $13 billion per year and prevent an excess of 911 deaths ("A Pediatric Cost Analysis," April 5, 2010).
Find out what's happening in Richfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
As for the very impressive breastfeeding rates among the women on the Bloomington Public Health WIC program, almost ninety percent who were on the WIC program for at least 3 months while pregnant breastfeed their babies. That's a lot of healthy babies and mothers!
For more information about the Bloomington Public Health WIC program
Call 952-563-8993.