Central District Health WIC program is pleased to provide an evidenced based Peer Counseling program to assist in breastfeeding promotion and support. The Peer Counselors are WIC mothers who live in the community and have breastfed their own babies. Peer Counselors have been selected by WIC to help give new mothers basic breastfeeding information, counseling, and support and to help new mothers meet the goal of breastfeeding their babies.

Peer Counselors receive specialized training to provide information and support on:

• Reasons to breastfeed
• How to address common barriers, including returning to work, and lack of support from family and friends.
• Getting a good start with breastfeeding
• Maintaining a healthy milk supply
• Preventing common problems such as sore nipples and engorgement
• Strategies for getting through the first weeks home with the baby

The WIC Peer Counselors will contact mothers regularly during the pregnancy and during the early days and weeks of breastfeeding. Peer counselors will also assist with prenatal breastfeeding classes and are available to new mothers outside the usual working schedule who are having breastfeeding questions. Peer Counselors refer mothers to appropriate lactation experts or healthcare professionals if the mother’s concerns are outside the peer counselor’s scope of practice.