Improve annual breastfeeding outcomes of Indiana WIC participants through promotion and support of breastfeeding mothers.
The Indiana WIC program provides supplemental foods, health care referrals, breastfeeding support, 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. WIC promotes breastfeeding as the optimal method of infant nutrition.
Breastfeeding support and promotion continue to be one of the main goals for the Indiana WIC Program. Parents who breastfeed are eligible for a larger food package and longer participation in the program. The Indiana WIC program provides several breastfeeding supports for clients including breastfeeding education, breastfeeding supplies and aids, and access to Peer Counselors and Designated Breastfeeding Experts.
As part of the requirements for administering the WIC program, Indiana WIC reports client breastfeeding data to USDA’s Food & Nutrition Service (FNS), which is included in the Breastfeeding Data by Local Agency (BFDLA) report each year. The BFDLA report compares all local WIC agencies across the country on their client breastfeeding status by certification category, specifically looking at the infants who participated in the program in a given fiscal year.
The goal of WIC Breastfeeding Promotion & Support is to improve the percentage of clients who fall within the Fully and Partial Breastfeeding categories, with an emphasis on improving exclusivity.
This report presents Indiana WIC client breastfeeding data statewide by individual county and agency.
Figure 1. Indiana WIC Program Trends in Breastfeeding, 2012-2022
The breastfeeding initiation rate among the Indiana WIC Program population has been improving over time, increasing from 67.8% in 2012 to 73.0% in 2022 (Figure 1).
Figure 2. Trends in Breastfeeding Initiation by Race/Ethnicity, 2012-2022
The breastfeeding initiation rate is increasing across almost all racial and ethnic groups (Figure 2). Although the breastfeeding initiation rate remains the lowest among the Black WIC population, this group experienced a consistent rate of increase over the decade, rising by almost 15% from 59.8% in 2012 to 74.7% in 2022.
Figure 3. Percentage of Infants Breastfed for at Least 3, 6 And 12 Months by Race and Ethnicity, FY22
Compared to all other races/ethnicities, Asian WIC clients had the highest prevalence of breastfeeding at 3, 6, and 12 months (44.3%, 35.9%, and 27.0% respectively) (Figure 3).
Figure 4. Prevalence of Breastfeeding Duration Among Ever Breastfed Infants, FY22
Nearly 90% of breastfeeding women in the Indiana WIC Program continue breastfeeding to the first week (Figure 4).
Maternal Age | Ever Breastfed | BF 3 Mo. | BF 6 Mo. | BF 12 Mo. |
---|---|---|---|---|
<15 yrs | 62.8% | 8.1% | 4.8% | 2.3% |
15-19 yrs | 74.6% | 22.1% | 12.6% | 5.3% |
20-29 yrs | 72.4% | 33.7% | 22.3% | 11.1% |
30-39 yrs | 77.5% | 32.0% | 30.0% | 16.6% |
39+ yrs | 78.0% | 45.0% | 32.1% | 20.7% |
Maternal Marital Status |
Ever Breastfed | BF 3 Mo. | BF 6 Mo. | BF 12 Mo. |
Single | 74.2% | 30.5% | 19.1% | 9.1% |
Married | 81.6% | 37.9% | 32.5% | 20.6% |
Maternal Education |
Ever Breastfed | BF 3 Mo. | BF 6 Mo. | BF 12 Mo. |
8th grade and less | 76.6% | 30.3% | 28.1% | 16.4% |
9th to 11th grade | 69.1% | 25.1% | 15.5% | 6.7% |
High school | 75.4% | 31.6% | 20.0% | 9.9% |
Some college | 82.5% | 42.3% | 29.7% | 15.7% |
College graduate | 83.0% | 43.2% | 36.3% | 26.2% |
Smoking During Pregnancy |
Ever Breastfed | BF 3 Mo. | BF 6 Mo. | BF 12 Mo. |
No | 78.4% | 36.0% | 22.6% | 12.2% |
Yes | 65.3% | 22.2% | 10.0% | 4.0% |
Household Smoking During Pregnancy |
Ever Breastfed | BF 3 Mo. | BF 6 Mo. | BF 12 Mo. |
No | 75.4% | 36.1% | 20.9% | 12.1% |
Yes | 68.2% | 18.0% | 9.9% | 4.3% |
Anemia During Pregnancy |
Ever Breastfed | BF 3 Mo. | BF 6 Mo. | BF 12 Mo. |
No | 76.5% | 32.2% | 24.2% | 11.4% |
Yes | 82.0% | 27.5% | 12.1% | 2.5% |
Trimester at Enrollment |
Ever Breastfed | BF 3 Mo. | BF 6 Mo. | BF 12 Mo. |
1st Trimester | 75.3% | 36.6% | 25.1% | 12.8% |
2nd Trimester | 76.8% | 32.5% | 24.1% | 11.4% |
3rd Trimester | 72.4% | 31.1% | 20.0% | 7.6% |
Maternal Age | Fully Breastfed 3 Mo. | Fully Breastfed 6 Mo. |
---|---|---|
<15 yrs | 0.0% | 0.0% |
15-19 yrs | 43.3% | 39.2% |
20-29 yrs | 54.3% | 54.3% |
30-39 yrs | 61.0% | 54.2% |
39+ yrs | 75.3% | 66.3% |
Maternal Marital Status |
Fully Breastfed 3 Mo. | Fully Breastfed 6 Mo. |
Single | 60.8% | 50.7% |
Married | 73.3% | 57.8% |
Maternal Education |
Fully Breastfed 3 Mo. | Fully Breastfed 6 Mo. |
8th grade and less | 52.0% | 49.0% |
9th to 11th grade | 55.3% | 43.4% |
High school | 61.5% | 52.5% |
Some college | 66.9% | 61.7% |
College graduate | 77.7% | 72.2% |
Smoking During Pregnancy |
Fully Breastfed 3 Mo. | Fully Breastfed 6 Mo. |
No | 64.2% | 51.0% |
Yes | 53.1% | 36.1% |
Household Smoking During Pregnancy |
Fully Breastfed 3 Mo. | Fully Breastfed 6 Mo. |
No | 64.1% | 50.4% |
Yes | 50.1% | 36.0% |
Anemia During Pregnancy |
Fully Breastfed 3 Mo. | Fully Breastfed 6 Mo. |
No | 63.1% | 50.0% |
Yes | 43.7% | 40.2% |
Trimester at Enrollment |
Fully Breastfed 3 Mo. | Fully Breastfed 6 Mo. |
1st Trimester | 64.0% | 51.1% |
2nd Trimester | 63.1% | 49.7% |
3rd Trimester | 62.0% | 46.2% |
*Fully Breastfeeding is defined as WIC clients who are breastfeeding their babies and do not receive infant formula from WIC.
Total infants served that were breastfed increased from
Governor Holcomb has challenged Indiana to reduce the rate of infant deaths and be the “best in the Midwest” for infant mortality by 2024.
Breastfed babies have a 21% lower risk of death in their first year compared with babies never breastfed, and risk reduction increases with breastfeeding duration of three months or more.
One local agency, Whitley County WIC Program, has exceeded the Healthy People 2020 objective to increase the proportion of ever breastfed infants to 81.9%.
MONROE
43.7%
41.3%
40.6%
33.2%
32.0%
19.4%
43.7%
WHITLEY
I.D. 1
41.3%
40.6%
33.2%
32.0%
MARTIN
I.D. 62
19.4%
Reasons for discontinuing breastfeeding:
Fewer women reporting stopping due to:
increase in women meeting their breastfeeding goal
decrease in reporting that they did not have enough milk
Since 2018, Indiana WIC has seen a 10% increase in clients reporting that they met their breastfeeding goal.
Reasons for discontinuing breastfeeding:
Fewer women reporting stopping due to:
increase in women meeting their breastfeeding goal
decrease in reporting that they did not have enough milk
staff
attended
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training
staff
attended
staff
attended
These trainings, provided by Lactation Education Consultants (LEC), allow staff to gain advanced lactation skills, feel more confident helping breastfeeding clients, and improve breastfeeding outcomes around the state.
staff attended a WIC Breastfeeding Support Curriculum Training with Cathy Carothers to strengthen their skills in supporting breastfeeding families.
WIC Peer Counselors are paraprofessionals who provide breastfeeding promotion, education and support to WIC participants. Peer Counselors are mothers from WIC’s target population who have similar racial/ethnic backgrounds to the mothers they support. Peer Counselors have experience breastfeeding at least one baby and are accessible to WIC clients during and outside usual clinic hours, as well as in or outside of the WIC clinic environment.
Peer Counselor Referrals for New WIC Clients
Contacts Made by Peer Counselors for Support
Peer Counselors Support Clients Across the State
WIC breastfeeding clients are more likely to continue breastfeeding at 6 and 12 months if they have been contacted by a peer counselor.
Indiana WIC remains committed to serving families and continuing daily operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Local agency staff have adapted services during the pandemic to provide flexibility and easy access to WIC participants. The information below tells the story of how WIC staff have stepped up to the plate during the pandemic.
Peer Counselors have followed safety guidelines by wearing PPE masks for home and in-person visits.
Local agencies set new highs in prevalence of breastfeeding in 3 Month, 6 Month and 12 Month categories from 2019!
Indiana WIC remains committed to serving families and continuing daily operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Local agencies have offered virtual classes and phone support by call or text and added more breastfeeding content to the WIC Nutrition Education app.
An additional 69,953 contacts were made by Peer Counselors for support compared to 2019.
Local agencies increased the issuance of breast pumps to mothers.
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant pilot expanded into two agencies, Tippecanoe and New Hope Services.
Reasons for discontinuing breastfeeding:
Fewer women reporting stopping due to:
increase in women meeting their breastfeeding goal
decrease in reporting that they did not have enough milk
USDA FNS established the Loving Support Award of Excellence in 2014 “to recognize local WIC agencies that have provided exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support activities.” The intent is to provide models and motivate local agencies to strengthen their breastfeeding promotion and support activities and ultimately increase breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity and duration rates among WIC participants.
The award is given at three levels of performance that build on one another:
Gold · Gold Premiere · Gold elite
This approach recognizes three groups of agencies that include those that are demonstrating model practices, as well as those who are at varying stages of implementing exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support practices.
The Gold Premiere and Gold Elite Awards require local agencies to submit an additional application to be considered, in addition to achieving a Fully Breastfeeding category of at least 15% for Premiere and 40% for Elite.
To receive the Gold Award, local WIC agencies must complete an application which evaluates the policies and procedures surrounding breastfeeding promotion and support, the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor program and partnerships with local hospitals and other organizations working toward similar breastfeeding goals.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Side-Lying Hold
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Cross-Cradle Hold
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Clutch or “Football” Hold
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Cradle Hold
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Laid-Back Hold
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