August is Minnesota Breastfeeding Awareness Month, in conjunction with World Breastfeeding Week (Aug 1-7). It is also the month when new WIC food packages are available to Minnesota WIC participants, including those that visit Sawtooth Mountain Clinic in Grand Marais. WIC coordinator Teresa Borak, RN, CLS said that the food package changes align the WIC food packages with current infant feeding practice guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics to better promote and support the establishment of successful long-term breastfeeding.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants receive human milk exclusively for the first six months of life and with other foods to a year or more. Only 23 percent of children in Minnesota are breastfed at one year of age.
Women who exclusively breastfeed receive the best WIC food package available. The new food packages offer fresh fruits and vegetables for the first time, consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. After six months, when complementary foods are introduced, infants who are exclusively breastfed obtain the largest infant food package available, including infant fruits, vegetables and meats.
WIC officials hope these changes promote greater rates of breastfeeding, which is important for infant and maternal health. Breastfeeding without supplementing is important for establishing milk supply and protecting the infant’s health. Babies can only eat small amounts and their mother’s milk is made in the right amount.
Recognizing the importance of breastfeeding, the Minnesota WIC Program supports mothers and infants in a variety of ways. At their WIC appointments, pregnant women have the opportunity to discuss breastfeeding, get answers to their questions, and learn how to breastfeed successfully from the beginning.
The Cook County WIC program offers peer counselors, lending libraries, and individual support.
WIC is also there to support mom and baby after birth. Many families return to WIC in the first days after birth. They know that they can get their questions answered about breastfeeding and nutrition for mother and child throughout their participation in WIC.
For more information about breastfeeding, please contact Borak at the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic at 387-2330.
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