As World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) has come and gone this August, the Barton and Dade County WIC offices take time to reflect on their WBW Carnivals and share information about WIC Breastfeeding programs to highlight services near you!
World Breastfeeding Week?
What is World Breastfeeding Week you ask? It is an international celebration of breastfeeding that occurs annually the first seven days of August. Per the World Health Organization, “It’s a time to recognize breastfeeding as a powerful foundation for lifelong health, development, and equity.” The Missouri Woman, Infant, and Children (WIC) program encourages local participation in WBW by offices hosting their own celebrations to bring awareness to breastfeeding and support those who are doing so or plan to do so locally. BCHD is proud to run two WIC office’s that hosted two separate WBW Carnival’s this year for the Dade and Barton County communities funded by donations from Healthy Blue, Home State Health, and United Healthcare.
On August 1st, our Barton County WIC office hosted a carnival with food, games, and prizes in the gym area of Lamar Christian Church. Nine families came together in friendly competition to find friends in similar stages of life. Each mother that attended was entered into a drawing of a nursing bra or shirt of their choice under $50 which Jaqueline Heinen, breastfeeding mother of two, won!
August 6th, our Dade County WIC office hosted the very same carnival at Main Street Baptist near the Greenfield office. Five families joined together that time, all breastfeeding moms with thirteen children of various ages who played creatively with the games provided by the First Baptist Church of Greenfield. The winner of that drawing asked not to be named publicly, but she is very much enjoying the three pack of the nursing shirts she chose as her prize!
In addition to the carnivals’, Barton and Dade County WIC employees took a day off of seeing clients to spread awareness locally of the statewide Breastfeeding Welcome Here imitative that encourages businesses to pledge to follow Missouri breastfeeding law and post window clings publicly supporting breastfeeding women. Per the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, “Missouri law states “[a] mother may, with discretion, breastfeed her child in any public or private location where the mother is otherwise authorized to be.” Many Missouri businesses are already providing this level of access and comfort for their patrons and employees. The campaign’s aim is for businesses to demonstrate their support for breastfeeding by displaying a clearly visible window cling.” If you are a local business owner we didn’t get a chance to talk to who is interested in getting on board with this initiative, you can see the link at the bottom of this article or call our office for more information.
WIC & Breastfeeding – An Overview
On a day to day basis, BCHD is happy to have WIC breastfeeding services provided in our offices as part of the Breastfeeding Friendly Clinic and Breastfeeding Peer Counselor programs. Each office has it’s own carefully selected Breastfeeding Peer Counselors (BFPC) hand-picked from our own clientele pool. These BFPC have various amounts of breastfeeding experience and use their personal knowledge as well as WIC resources to educate pregnant moms of the benefits of breastfeeding and help reassure our breastfeeding moms as they go about lactation. As part of WBW, the USDA announced Barton and Dade County WIC as one of Missouri’s “nine local agencies to receive the 2025 Gold WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence for exemplary efforts in supporting breastfeeding WIC mothers.” So, it is safe to say our WIC offices provide exemplary breastfeeding support through this program!
Due to WIC’s devotion to breastfeeding, WIC breastfeeding women receive more benefits for a longer amount of time than their non-breastfeeding counterparts. Breastfeeding mothers will receive a full package with up to $52 in fruit and veggie cash for up to 12 months as long as they are feeding breastmilk while those who do not breastfeed will have their benefits cease at six months postpartum and receive a few dollars less in fruits and veggie cash during that time.
Outside of the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor program, our offices take pride in providing basic breastfeeding assistance to any family that needs help. But, those with WIC services have the added benefit of loaner pumps, formal prenatal and postpartum education, and of course – their appropriate food package.
What’s Next?
Barton and Dade County WIC are excited to continue supporting breastfeeding and pregnant families year around. There is not one week that is more important than the next when it comes to breastfeeding; our breastfeeding families deserve to be celebrated and supported as often as they choose to feed.
Resources
Missouri Breastfeeding Welcome Here | Health & Senior Services
Ten Missouri WIC local agencies honored as exemplary breastfeeding peer support programs by USDA
Photos of 2025 WBW Events!
