Breastfeeding Case Study: New York City-The WIC Program's Vital Role in Breastfeeding Success

摘要

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, commonly known as WIC, is the nation's premier preventive public health nutrition program. The WIC Program provides nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding promotion, protection, and support, medical and social services referrals, and specific nutritious foods to at-risk, low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children up to the age of 5 years. Breastfeeding success /initiation in the WIC population, and particularly in New York City, has grown significantly in the past few years. This certainly can be attributed to various factors. A "perfect storm" of policy and environmental changes has converged with additional targeted resources for breastfeeding. We are working together in an increasingly breastfeeding supportive environment. The national initiatives, including those of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Surgeon General's Call to Action, as well as the Department of Health and Human Services, the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Healthy People 2020, Baby-Friendly USA, the National WIC Association's Breastfeeding Strategic Plan and Breastfeeding-Friendly WIC Clinics, and the national breastfeeding laws and inclusion in the Affordable Care Act, coupled with New York State laws and city and state initiatives lay the foundation and framework for positive breastfeeding outcomes. Key factors contributing to New York City's path to success are the collaborative work among state and city entities, WIC Programs, hospitals, health care centers, private and community organizations, and the legislature. The New York State Media Campaign, the Breastfeeding Toolkit (Breastfeeding.. .For My Baby. For Me.; Partnering with WIC for Breastfeeding Success), the Breastfeeding Mothers' Bill of Rights,5 and other breastfeeding protection laws, as well as public health detailing projects, have all raised awarene...