During World Breastfeeding Week in August, the California Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is celebrating the diverse breastfeeding and chestfeeding experiences of families in California communities and the support provided by WIC local agencies.
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Families interested in applying to WIC can visit the
MyFamily websiteā to find out if they are eligible for the program. ā
Key Factsā
WIC serves 6.7 million infants, children, and pregnant and postpartum people, including roughly 40% of all infants in the United States.
WIC offers exceptional infant feeding support, particularly through its Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program. This program has effectively helped families in achieving their infant feeding objectives over the past two decades. The WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024.
WIC Breastfeeding Support
- Breastfeeding offer numerous health advantages, such as reducing a baby's risk to certain illnesses and infections, providing nutrition for growth and development, and decreasing the risk of specific cancers and diabetes for the birthing parent.
- California WIC serves over 87,000 breastfeeding and chestfeeding families per month and has played a pivotal role in helping improve breastfeeding rates since 2010.
- WIC breastfeeding and chestfeeding support includes education for family members, guidance for the hospital delivery experience, and issuance of breast pumps.
- WIC breastfeeding experts include credentialed International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants, certified lactation educators, and peer counselors.
WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program
- The program uses an evidence-based peer-to-peer model that connects pregnant and postpartum participants with paraprofessional breastfeeding counselors who come from the same neighborhoods and speak the same language as WIC participants.
- āThese peer counselors, often current or former WIC participants with personal breastfeeding experiences, provide counseling services that can be in person, in groups, over the phone, via video call, through texting or chatting, and/or during home visits.
City of Berkeley WIC
- The City of Berkeley WIC serves as an example of WIC's impact on California communities.
- 100% of participants begin breastfeeding or chestfeeding in the first week
- 89.84% continue any breastfeeding or chestfeeding at 3 months
- 66.66% exclusively breastfeed or chestfeed through 6 months
- 50% continue any breastfeeding or chestfeeding through 11 months.
- āThe City of Berkeley WIC is making strides towards meeting the breastfeeding and chestfeeding goals set out in Healthy People 2030. This progress is vital in providing significant protection against diseases as well as reducing maternal and child mortality rates.
Breastfeeding Observances
Breastfeeding Observances Hashtags
Below are the official California WIC logo options. The logos should not be modified. When using the logos to create digital materials, do not distort the proportions, use only a portion of a logo, or alter colors or fonts.āā ā
Testimonials (Written and Audio)
California WIC testimonials highlight the positive impact of breastfeeding support services and offer personal insights and real-life experiences from WIC participants and staff. These testimonials are available in written and audio formats.
Testimonial 1 - WIC participant
āWell, what thāey did for me here [City of Berkeley WIC], I would pass on. No judgment. So even if you try breastfeeding and you feel like you've done all that you can and you move over to formula, it doesn't make you a bad mother. [ā¦] You're making decisions based on what's best for you and your baby. Give yourself grace. Y'all both are learning each other.ā
- Nilaja, WIC Participant, City of Berkeley WIC
Download Testimonial 1 āAudio file | Audio Duration: 00:25 secondsāā
Download Testimonial 1 Transcriptāāā
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Testimonial 2 - WIC participant
āI am super happy that I was placed here. [ā¦] You know, back home when you have a baby, everybody [is] your village. So, Berkeley WIC feels like a village.ā
- Nilaja, WIC Participant, City of Berkeley WIC
Download Testimonial 2 Audio fileā | Audio Duration: 00:08 seconds
Download Testimonial 2 Transcriptā
Testimonial 3 - WIC participant
āThe classes that I took about what to expect and the whole process about breastfeeding [were] very informative [and] relaxed my mind because it's my first, and I never knew about colostrum and liquid gold and all the benefits. I knew I was going to breastfeed, but I feel like from the class, it made me persist longer.ā
- Nilaja, WIC Participant, City of Berkeley WIC
Download Testimonial 3 Audio fileā | Audio Duration: 00:27 seconds
Download Testimonial 3 Transcript
Testimonial 4 - WIC participant
āThey've [WIC] been really accessible by phone and appointment a lot quicker than normal doctor appointments. So that's been very nice [to] have someone available on text and phone and more availability for appointments and it's closer to where I live, too, so itās great.ā
- Darla, WIC Participant, City of Berkeley WIC
Download Testimonial 4 Audio fileā | Audio Duration: 00:17 secondsā
Download Testimonial 4 Transcript
Testimonial 5 - WIC staff
āOur WIC program is here to support women in any way that they choose to feed their babies, whether that be formula feeding or breastfeeding. āWe want to provide that education and that support to women so that they can feed their babies in the safest way possible.ā
- Angelica Sanchez Garcia, WIC Staff, City of Berkeley WIC
Download Testimonial 5 Audio fileā | Audio Duration: 00:18 seconds
Download Testimonial 5 Transcript
āTestimonial 6 - WIC staff
āOur team here at [the] City of Berkeley WIC is a small and mighty team. All of our staff have received a lot of training and education with breastfeeding, and they're all very passionate about helping to support our families to meet their breastfeeding goals. Whether it's our WNAs [WIC Nutrition Assistants], our director, myself as a dietitian, our Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, and our lactation consultant, we're all very supportive of women and their families and just helping them to meet their breastfeeding goals.ā
- Angelica Sanchez Garcia, City of Berkeley WIC Staff
Download Testimonial 6 Audio fileā | Audio Duration: 00:36 seconds
Download Testimonial 6 Transcript
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Testimonial 7 - WIC staff
āI know that breastfeeding is giving our families and our children and the next generation the healthiest start possible. So, whenever I'm able to really support women to be able to breastfeed their children, I get really excited about that because I feel like that's laying down the foundation for them to have a healthier start in life and for the future, too.ā
- Angelica Sanchez Garcia, City of Berkeley WIC Staff
Download Testimonial 7 Audio fileā | Audio Duration: 00:22 seconds
Download Testimonial 7 Transcript
Testimonial 8 - WIC staff
āOur WIC program is a wonderful source of support. We're here to really, support moms. We have Breastfeeding Peer Counselors, we have our lactation support, and all our staff are trained in being able to help women with any kind of breastfeeding issues. We also have a breast pump program, so we loan out breast pumps should yāou need a pump. We really want to help all women feed their babies in any way that they choose to. If you need that extra help and support with breastfeeding, we're here to help and support you. So please call us; we're here to support all families.ā
- Angelica Sanchez Garcia, City of Berkeley WIC Staff
Download Testimonial 8 Audio fileā | Audio Duration: ā00:32 seconds
Download Testimonial 8 Transcript
Photos and Video Content
California WIC photos and videos are essential tools for promoting breastfeeding support. Featuring real WIC participants and staff, these visuals highlight the positive impact of WIC's services. Use them in media projects and presentations to showcase the benefits and resources available. āāāā
Photos
To use associated high-resolution images, click on the āDownload Image" button to enlarge the image, then right click and "Save As."
WIC Staffā
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Image description:
Remote counseling appointment at
City of Berkeley WIC.
Image size: 7.24 MB
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Image description:
City of Berkeley WIC staff reviewing participant information.
Image size: 5.27 MB
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WIC Environment
Image description:
Entrance to City of Berkeley WIC office.ā
Image size: 3.64 MB
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Image description:
Outside the lactation consultation room at City of Berkeley WIC.āā
Image size: 2.76 MBā
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To use associated video clips, click on the āDownload Video" button to select your chosen video file. All video files are available in standard full high definition 1080p resolution. āāāā