NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – August is National Breastfeeding Month, and New Mexico is joining in to support the effort throughout the state. The New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program are working together to support the needs and rights of parents before, during, and after childbirth by ensuring that every parent has “optimal conditions for breastfeeding.”
For Breastfeeding Month, the DOH’s Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology program is launching a social media campaign promoting the WIC’s breastfeeding support options: online classes, in-person classes, peer counselor assistance, access to breast pumps, and more. The WIC programs provide help from trained breastfeeding experts, nutritionists, and lactation consultants.
The campaign is in alignment with the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). The DOH says fostering lactation support is a “collective responsibility” for local agencies and providers.
“National Breastfeeding Month is a time to remember that every parent should have the best support for breastfeeding,” explained Deputy Cabinet Secretary Laura Parajon. “By working together with the New Mexico WIC program and the DOH, we’re making sure families can easily get trustworthy advice, expert help with breastfeeding, and other important resources.”
The New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force has a variety of resources for parents on its website here. The WIC also provides many resources and assistance for those who qualify; to learn more, click here.
