Information for Health Care Providers

The Wake County Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, also called the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, supports breastfeeding through its In-Home Breastfeeding Support Service. The service available for both English- and Spanish-speaking women, provides home visits to Wake County WIC mothers who want to breastfeed their babies. Breastfeeding Technicians, or “Breastfeeding Techs,” provide hands-on assistance and information to help avoid or resolve problems quickly. A mother receives an initial home visit, with as many additional home visits or phone contacts as needed to resolve problems and until the infant is breastfeeding effectively. The Breastfeeding Techs have completed the Loving Support Three-Step Counseling training and have also received additional evidence-based training in hands-on breastfeeding support, presented by an IBCLC (International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant).

The WIC Prenatal Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Service offers culturally sensitive social support along with accurate information from professionals and trained peer counselors. The Peer Counselors have completed the Loving Support Three-Step Counseling training presented by an IBCLC, and encourage women to consider breastfeeding as their infant feeding choice. Peer counselors are available for both English- and Spanish-speaking women. When a client delivers her baby, her support transitions from the telephone-based peer counselor to the appropriate Breastfeeding Tech to provide postpartum in-home support.