Unsplash / Bia Octavia
WIC offers a free 24/7 lactation support hotline, breastfeeding peer counselors, lactation consultants, and free nutrition and breastfeeding classes to all Texas moms.
WIC — also known by its full moniker: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children — offers benefits such as nutrition counseling, classes and support groups to new and pregnant moms, single dads, foster parents, guardians and grandparents of children younger than 5.
Breastfeeding can be a very challenging part of motherhood. New parents often feel pressured to nurse their newborns given the benefits of breastmilk — its antibodies that help protect babies from illness and allergies, for example — but maintaining can be difficult, especially for working mothers and women of color.
“Many families do not breastfeed for as long as they intend to, and breastfeeding disparities by race and ethnicity persist,” an August 1 report from the U.S. Census Bureau notes. “The steady decline in any and exclusive breastfeeding from month-to-month indicates that breastfeeding families may need stronger systems of support to reach their breastfeeding goals.”
To that end, WIC offers a free 24/7 lactation support hotline, breastfeeding peer counselors, lactation consultants, and free nutrition and breastfeeding classes to all Texas moms — regardless of whether they qualify for federal aid. Texas WIC also provides women who qualify with a free breast pump and pumping supplies.
The federal program has also updated its income guidelines, allowing more families to participate, officials said.
“Eligibility for the WIC program depends on your income and the number of people in your household,” said Amanda Hovis, Director of Nutrition Education & Clinical Services, Texas WIC. “For example, a family of four can make up to 55,500 and qualify for the WIC program.”
Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter| Or sign up for our RSS Feed
