Breastfeeding and WIC

Grow Together Breastfeed Logo

The Ohio Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after birth, with the addition of complementary foods, and continued breastfeeding for two years or longer, as mutually desired by mom and baby.

Lactation Support Through WIC:

  • Ohio WIC has trained breastfeeding staff available to provide lactation support. WIC can help with any challenges including pain or discomfort, going back to work or school, and more.

  • Every local agency has a breastfeeding peer to walk beside you, answer questions and support you, as well as additional staff available to help you.

  • WIC provides support to pumping families, including having breast pumps on hand to those who qualify. WIC staff have been trained to help you with pump set-up, troubleshooting and flange fitting.

The Ohio WIC Program commits to:

  • Help make breastfeeding the standard in Ohio.
  • Offer education to help families make informed feeding decisions.
  • Encourage and support families to meet their infant feeding goals. 

Additional Lactation Resources:

For Families

This section contains information for families, support persons, and the general public looking for additional information regarding lactation. Your support makes all the difference! 

General Breastfeeding Resources

Review helpful resources to prepare for baby, and when baby is here! 

How to Breastfeed Your Baby Booklet

Ohio WIC is pleased to share the resource, How to Breastfeed Your Baby Booklet to utilize throughout your journey.

    Where To Go For Help

    • Call WIC for breastfeeding questions or concerns. WIC offers assistance from breastfeeding peers to assist you in meeting your breastfeeding goals.
      • Available 24/7 including weekends and holidays.
      • Operated by live, trained lactation professionals.
      • Provided free of charge to all callers, including mothers, their families and partners, expectant parents, and healthcare providers.

    WIC Breastfeeding Peer Program

    Breastfeeding peers are parents in the community with personal lactation experience. Peers connect with families through the WIC Program, help with common concerns, and give encouragement.

    Breastfeeding In Public

    Ohio law protects a woman’s right to breastfeed in any public place where she is allowed.

    For Health Professionals

    This section contains information for health professionals on supporting lactation in Ohio. Health professionals play an integral role in educating families about breastfeeding and encouraging them to achieve their lactation goals. 

    Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative

    The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), launched in 1991, is an effort by UNICEF and the World Health Organization to ensure that all birthing facilities, whether free-standing or hospital-based, become centers of breastfeeding support.

    Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace

    The federal Break Time for Nursing Mothers law requires employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to provide basic accommodations for breastfeeding mothers at work. Employers are required to provide reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for one year after the child's birth each time such employee has need to express the milk. Employers are also required to provide a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk. For more information and access to the toolkits, visit: Ohio Department of Health Breastfeeding.

    Breastfeeding Peer Program

    The Breastfeeding Peer Program is a program designed to enhance the breastfeeding support services provided by WIC.  Breastfeeding peers are parents in the community with personal lactation experience. They provide breastfeeding education and support which in turn helps other parents successfully reach their breastfeeding goals.  Peers assist by establishing a connection with families, helping manage common concerns, providing ongoing encouragement, and offering comfort outside the usual workday.  The development of the Breastfeeding Peer Program has increased breastfeeding initiation and duration rates in WIC.

    Credentialing and Continuing Education

    International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) function and contribute as members of the maternal-child health team. They provide care in a variety of settings, while making appropriate referrals to other health professionals and community support resources. Working together with mothers, families, policymakers and society, IBCLC’s provide expert breastfeeding and lactation care, promote changes that support breastfeeding and help reduce the risks of not breastfeeding.

    There are other courses designed for the aspiring lactation consultant or nurses, physicians, midwives, dietitians, breastfeeding assistants or others desiring to expand knowledge and skills in working with the breastfeeding dyad. Here are two examples of credentialed programs:

    Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies

    The Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies is a voluntary breastfeeding initiative led by the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Hospital Association. The program recognizes maternity hospitals in Ohio that have taken steps to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding in their organizations. Based off of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, as defined by the World Health Organization and Baby-Friendly USA, First Steps is a five-star program awarding a star for every two steps achieved. The First Steps program also offers many opportunities for learning and networking.

    Lactation Statistics

    Breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for most infants since it can reduce the risk of certain health conditions for both infants and mothers. Being aware of lactation statistics at the national and state levels can be impactful.

    USDA WIC Breastfeeding Data

    The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) promotes and supports breastfeeding as an important part of the nutrition service benefits that the WIC program provides to meet its mission of safeguarding the health of low-income women, infants and children. These reports are a compilation of fiscal year (FY) breastfeeding performance measurements, based on program participation data of the number of partially and fully breastfed infants for each WIC state and local agency.  

    Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Breastfeeding Data Local Agency Report

    CDC Breastfeeding Report Card

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Breastfeeding Report Card is released every two years and provides a compilation of data on breastfeeding practices and supports in all states, the District of Columbia (DC), Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands.

    mPINC

    Hospital routines can help or hinder new mothers and babies while they’re learning to breastfeed. Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) is a national survey of maternity care practices and policies that is conducted by the CDC. The survey is administered to all hospitals and birth centers with registered maternity beds in the United States and Territories.

    Healthy People 2030

    Healthy People 2030 provides science-based, 10-year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans. For 3 decades, Healthy People has established benchmarks and monitored progress over time in order to:

    • Encourage collaborations across communities and sectors;
    • Empower individuals toward making informed health decisions; and
    • Measure the impact of prevention activities.

    Healthy People 2030: Breastfeeding Objectives

    Ohio Department of Health Data

    Ohio specific Breastfeeding Data is available to view from the Ohio Public Health Information Warehouse, Ohio Department of Health Vital Statistics, and the Ohio Pregnancy Assessment Survey (OPAS).