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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Karen Meehan, MPH, RD, IBCLC, Shannon E. Whaley, PhD, Kiran Saluja, RD, MPH, and Eloise Jenks, MEd, RD. PHFE-WIC Program, 12781 Schabarum Avenue, Irwindale, CA 91706, 626 856 6650, karen@phfewic.org

Breastfeeding Peer Counseling has consistently been shown to be an effective intervention in increasing breastfeeding initiation and duration rates. In 2004, USDA launched a national initiative to institutionalize peer counseling as a core WIC service. PHFE-WIC received funding for a unique model to use employees as peer counselors (PCs). Traditional PC Programs that use part-time staff often struggle with rapid staff turnover and constant retraining. Six full-time WIC employees, similar in ethnicity, language and breastfeeding experience to traditional PCs were converted to full time PCs. A database was designed to facilitate case management and data collection. To date, over 1300 women have enrolled in the PC Program during pregnancy. Data collected include hospital feeding practices at the delivery hospital, number and type of contacts with PCs and lactation consultants, type of breastfeeding problems, reasons for formula introduction and additional elements that impact breastfeeding initiation and duration. Initial evaluation of the program after the first year demonstrates minimal staff turnover, excellent case management and significant increases in exclusive breastfeeding rates. Exclusive breastfeeding rates for infants up to 2 months is over 45% for Centers with PCs compared to 15% at Centers without PCs. Exclusive breastfeeding at 5-6 months is approximately 30% compared to 6% at Centers without PCs. The primary goal of this session will be to identify the factors that contribute to these dramatic increases in exclusive breastfeeding rates and to illuminate designs of this model PC program that can be replicated in other PC Programs.

Learning Objectives:

1.Recognize the impact the PHFE-WIC Model Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program has on exclusive breastfeeding rates.
• Identify the factors of the this Program that significantly contribute to the increases in exclusive breastfeeding rates.
• Identify the components of this Program that can be replicated by other agencies that have peer counselor programs.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No