Moms help moms with breastfeeding

July 12--OTTUMWA -- A new peer counseling program will attempt to keep WIC mothers from giving up on breastfeeding.

About 115 women in seven counties are participating in the Breastfeeding Peer Counseling program through Women, Infants and Children of Wapello County.

WIC is administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture'sFood and Nutrition Service. It provides federal grants to states for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk.

Wapello County's WIC office was granted the peer counseling program in October 2017, Coordinator Kim Proctor said Wednesday during a breastfeeding support group meeting. "It took us a while to get trained and up and running."

Jeanette Escobar and Lindsey Cook are the two counselors trained to answer WIC clients' breastfeeding questions by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Both are WIC clients who have had successful breast-feeding experiences, Proctor said.

Breastfeeding moms can call the counselors any time day or night for information and encouragement. Babies reach growth milestones which affect their feeding habits, Proctor said. "We are here to help them through these milestones."

The program has many mantras including, "I'm not saying it's always easy, I'm saying it's worth it."

"If they want to stop, they can stop," Proctor said, but if moms want to continue breastfeeding, "we want to help them over the hurdles.

"It's moms helping moms," Proctor said.

Escobar and Cook serve mothers in Wapello, Mahaska, Davis, Jefferson, Van Buren, Keokuk and Appanoose Counties by phone, but women who want a physical meeting with the women can visit the WIC office.

"We have a little cubicle ... in back," Proctor said. "They can come in for a face-to-face meeting."

The program encourages dads to participate as well. "They're the support at home," Proctor said. "It's awesome to have the dads involved."

Breanna Harmon is nursing her second child, 6-month-old Brayleigh. She intends to breastfeed until the child wants to stop. "You should go for as long as baby wants to," Harmon said, repeating the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Harmon appreciates having a peer counseling "because of the moments when breastfeeding gets tough," she said. Sharing her experiences with other moms and hearing their experiences encourages Harmon and provides useful information for her and for the other mothers.

Elizabeth Johnson attended the support group with her infant daughter and with her older son. She's breastfeeding her fourth child.

Taylor Robinson is a first-time breastfeeding mom. Robinson underwent gallbladder surgery shortly after giving birth and said she appreciated the advice she received from WIC counselors about nursing post-surgery.

"Each experience is different," Proctor said.

Reporter Winona Whitaker can be contacted at wwhitaker@ottumwacourier.com and followed on Twitter @courierwinona.

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