Published: August 06, 2008 07:30 pm         

Breastfeeding Week celebration in Wabash Valley

Vigo, Sullivan county WIC agencies promoting practice, offering support

TERRE HAUTE — World Breastfeeding Week, celebrated throughout the world during the month of August, will be recognized by Western Indiana Community Action agencies in Vigo and Sullivan counties.

In conjunction with the 2008 Olympics, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action’s theme is Mother Support: Going for the Gold.

Vigo and Sullivan County WIC programs are working toward a major part of the gold standard of infant feeding: breastfeeding exclusively for six months and providing appropriate complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for up to one year or beyond.

Breastfeeding promotion and support are important components of the WICA program. WICA has trained breastfeeding peer counselors, who also have breastfed their own children, to help WICA mothers and families with common breastfeeding questions. The counselors also help to provide support to mothers and families in successfully reaching their breast-feeding goals. a lactation consultant also is available for counseling. In support of World Breastfeeding Week, Indiana WICA’s goal is to increase the breast-feeding rates in Indiana.

An Indiana law that was effective July 1 protects breast-feeding in the workplace. Vigo and Sullivan County WICA plan to work on an outreach program to educate breastfeeding mothers returning to the workplace.

This new Indiana law applies to businesses with 25 or more employees and states an employer shall provide a private location, other than a toilet stall, where an employee can express the employee’s breast milk in privacy. Officials with the Vigo and Sullivan County WICA feel that even businesses with less than 25 employees will join in the support of healthier children in our counties by supporting the new Indiana breast-feeding law.

Vigo and Sullivan counties’ outreach program will be designed to educate allied health personnel to aid in the support of breastfeeding mothers who plan to return to the workplace. The outreach program will use WICA’s trained personnel to educate breastfeeding mothers returning to the workplace by providing knowledge and techniques specifically unique for their place of work. Topics will include tips on approaching the employer before returning to work; preparing a schedule; whether pumps are needed; pumping strategies best for the workplace and the mothers goals; milk storage; different breastfeeding alternatives for the working mother; and working with day-care providers.

With this new outreach program, Vigo and Sullivan County WICA hope to increase the breastfeeding longevity; increase employers’ knowledge of breastfeeding mothers’ needs; and increase support for breastfeeding mothers and their families.

The WICA program helps families start strong and stay that way. Pregnant women, new moms (up to six months after delivery), breastfeeding moms (up to one year after delivery) infants, and children under age 5 are eligible to apply for WICA services. WICA gives checks you can use at the WICA-contracted groceries to get nutritious foods such as milk, cereals, juice, cheese, eggs, peanut butter, dried beans/peas, formula, infant cereal and infant juice.

You must live in Indiana and meet the following income guidelines as to household size and annual gross income: (1) $19,240; (2) $25,900; (3) $32,560; (4) $39,220; (5) $45,880; (6) $52,540; for each additional member, add $6,600. Pregnant females count as two.

To make an appointment, call the WICA office in Vigo County at (812) 232-6306 or in Sullivan County at (812) 268-6439, or visit at one of the following locations:

Western Indiana Community Action Agency, 705 S. Fifth St., Terre Haute or Sullivan County WICA, 22-24 S. Court St., Sullivan.