The Florida WIC program promotes and supports breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is a normal part of mothers and babies being together. To get off to a good start, learn all you can during your pregnancy about breastfeeding.
Benefits of breastfeeding
Breastfeeding has a lot of health benefits for both mom and baby:
- Infants who are breastfed have a lower risk of developing ear infections, asthma, respiratory infections, diarrhea and vomiting, childhood obesity, eczema, type 2 diabetes, childhood leukemia, and sudden unexpected infant death.
- For mothers, breastfeeding can help you recover more quickly from childbirth, and reduce your risk for high blood pressure, certain breast and ovarian cancers, type 2 diabetes, and may help you lose weight after childbirth.
Breastfeeding your baby
Learn the basics of breastfeeding and how you can nurture your baby’s future.
Breastfeeding peer counselors
Peer counselors are mothers who have personal breastfeeding experience and special training. As a support system, they provide basic breastfeeding information to mothers before, during, and after pregnancy. A WIC peer counselor can give you:
- Tips for how to breastfeed comfortably and discreetly, even in public
- Ways you can stay close to your baby through breastfeeding after you return to work or school
- Ideas for getting support from your family and friends
- Secrets for making plenty of breast milk for your baby
- Help with breastfeeding concerns, such as sore nipples and engorgement
- Tips on how to get more help from other health care professionals, if needed
For more information on peer counseling, call 904-529-2800, option 2.
