Breastfeeding rates have increased at all WIC agencies when Peer Counselor Programs have been implemented.
The charts below show the effect of peer counselors on the prevalence of breastfeeding.
| Breastfeeding Women in the Texas WIC Program |
 |
WIC Breastfeeding Moms:
Dallas City Dept. of Health and Human Services |
 |
WIC Breastfeeding Moms:
Harris County Health Department |
 |
WIC Breastfeeding Moms:
Houston Health & Human Services Department |
 |
| Study at Driscoll Children’s Hospital WIC Program |
 |
Mothers who received services from the WIC Program at Driscoll Children's Hospital where a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program was implemented in 1992 chose to initiate breastfeeding at a higher rate than mothers served by a WIC agency that did not have peer counselors. From 1990 to 1992 both groups had similar mean monthly numbers of breastfeeding infants. Beginning in 1992 after the implementation of their Peer Counselor Program, the Driscoll Hospital group showed a significant increase in breastfeeding rates over the control group.
| Outreach Health Services WIC Program |
|
 |
The bars on the left show the breastfeeding rate on the date peer counselor services started at each clinic. The bars on the right shows the rate in February 2000. Some sites had peer counselors just a short time, other sites had peer counselors for much longer. The date the counselor started and the site name (usually the city or town served) appear in the data description under the bars. Each site shows an increase in breastfeeding rates after peer counselor services are provided. In general, the sites that have had peer counselor services the longest, have the most mothers choosing to breastfeed.
For more information contact:
Jewell Stremler
Peer Counselor Coordinator
Nutrition Services Section MC 4554
Texas Department of State Health Services
PO Box 149347
Austin, TX 78714-9347
(512) 341-4400 ext. 2294
(512) 341-4406 (fax)
Email: Jewell Stremler