FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2010

Contact: Diana Taylor
WIC Coordinator/Baby Boost and TOTS Supervisor

WIC Grant Provides Breastfeeding Bags to New Moms

Research has shown that there is no better food than breast milk for a baby’s first year. One of the goals of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is to promote breastfeeding as the optimal choice for feeding babies. The Maternal Child Department at Moberly Regional Medical Center and the WIC program from the Randolph County Health Department have worked together over the years to assist women with their decision to initiate breastfeeding while at the hospital. Randolph County WIC provides breastfeeding education and partners with the Maternal Child staff at Moberly Regional Medical Center to find creative, successful strategies for improving breastfeeding support for new mothers throughout our community. On May 11, 2010 the WIC staff of the Randolph County Health Department presented to the Maternal Child staff 150 bags to give to women choosing to breastfeed their babies that deliver at Moberly Regional Medical Center. The bags, containing informational books, were purchased with funding obtained from the 2010 WIC Enhancement Grant provided by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to support breastfeeding. The bags provide a variety of information on breastfeeding to help the new mother as she begins breastfeeding her newborn, such as Welcome Baby Softly, Diaper Diary, Amy Spangler’s book “Keep It Simple”, Beginning Breastfeeding, Baby’s Second Night, “Gentle” Waking for Sleepy Newborns, Breastfeeding the Baby that is “Just a Little Early”, Pacifers, Saving Breastmilk, and Resources for Breastfeeding Mothers. Also presented to the Maternal Child staff was The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD featuring Dr. Harvey Karp, which teaches the way to calm a crying baby.

For more information on WIC or breastfeeding, please contact the Randolph County Health Department at 660-263-6643 ext 3011. Equal Opportunity Provider.