This is a reprint from a story in the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas newsletter. Enjoy!!!
Shannon O'Quinn Wingo R.D., L.D., IBCLC, RLC
Registered Dietitian/Board Certified Lactation Consultant
WIC Area Coordinator/Breastfeeding Coordinator, Tarrant County Public Health WIC Program
Chair of the Tarrant County Breastfeeding Coalition
For the past 22 year you've worked as a lactation consultant and breastfeeding coordinator for Texas' Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, first in East Texas, Dallas, and Waxahachie (serving 72 counties in Texas) now in Fort Worth. What does WIC do for our community of breastfeeding moms?
The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is a nutrition education program which provides supplemental foods to promote good health for pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children up to age five. All services are free to those who qualify. Participants must meet income guidelines and residency requirements.
Our breastfeeding support efforts include conducting individual counseling and group classes on breastfeeding, providing an enhanced supplemental food package for breastfeeding mothers, providing several different types of breast pumps to moms including hospital grade loaner pumps for our most fragile premature infants, and supporting the Texas Friendly Mother Worksite program.
Why is this work so important to you?
Breastfeeding can be hard for a new mom, but the benefits it provides really does make it a worthwhile experience. Before becoming a mom myself three years ago, I supported thousands of moms through their breastfeeding experiences. Then, after my daughter Elizabeth was born in 2009, I continued to work while pumping and storing her milk. I think it was the hardest work I'd ever done, however, I'm committed to nursing and Elizabeth still receives my breastmilk.
I'm working to make sure that breastfeeding is more widely acceptable by time my daughter is a mom. I want her to be able to go to the grocery story, the park or work and know this is an acceptable practice in our culture!
How can more moms successfully breastfeed their babies?
Ask for help. Our current culture doesn't give women permission to ask for help. I think new moms need to ask for help. And WE - breastfeeding supporters & educators - need to reach out to them, too! It is hard to pick up that 100-pound phone and call somebody - a lactation consultant or your local WIC office. There are too many moms Googling for the answers they need, and not every question can be answered by reading a screen. Put any pride or reservations aside and take the initiative to reach out for the help you might need.
Nurse frequently, even if you don't think you have milk. Nursing frequently will help establish, maintain or grow your milk supply as needed.
Family members aren't always helpful, so you should get the emotional support you need from your partner or your lactation consultant. However, there are many resources out there to educate your family, too!
Set your own personal breastfeeding goal, tied to a date. When you reach that goal, consider to extend your original goal. Once you get "the hang of it," you may find that it has become so much easier. Don't beat yourself up at any time during your breastfeeding journey. Celebrate your success when you reach your goals!
You are also the Chair of the Tarrant County Breastfeeding Coalition. Can you tell us how this organization is working to change the perception of breastfeeding?
Founded in April 2011, The Tarrant County Breastfeeding Coalition is comprised of more than 50 breastfeeding moms, lactation consultants, pharmacists, neonatologists, doulas, nurses, peer counselors, supportive dads and partners and lactavists who all want the world to know that breastfeeding is important and normal.
In August of 2012, we hosted Texas' largest "Latch On". You can see great event photos here and then mark your calendars for August 3, 2013, the date of our next Latch On event.
We are also a proponent of the Texas-Mother Friendly Worksite initiative. Mother-Friendly Worksites are businesses that proactively support employees who choose to breastfeed their infants. Creating and implementing a Mother-Friendly policy is both simple and inexpensive. The most basic Mother-Friendly policies need only provide a private space, flexible scheduling for break time and other basic support so that mothers may express and store breastmilk for their babies.
Tarrant County currently has 12 Texas Mother-Friendly Worksites. We have formed a community outreach committee and any business that contacts us will receive the technical assistance needed to organize programs that help them reach a Mother-Friendly Status.
Anyone can be a member and babies are always welcome!
Contact Us through our website for more information.