Multimedia Toolkits Help Birth Mothers Provide Breast Milk for Their Infants in Foster Care

For Immediate Release: Thursday, November 15, 2012

Washington County Women, Infants and Children (WIC) has partnered with Ayla Birth to develop multimedia toolkits for foster caregivers and birth mothers. The purpose of the project is to support the provision of mothers' breast milk to infants in the foster care system.

"Breastfeeding is the best thing a mother can do for her infant," says Dr. Jennifer Vines, Deputy Health Officer for Washington County. "Doing so provides babies with many health benefits ranging from fewer ear infections to decreased risk of obesity later in life."

The project was funded by a $25,000 award from the USDA.

"We conducted numerous focus groups and found that foster caregivers shared similar concerns about providing mother's milk to an infant in their care," says Tiare Sanna, WIC Program Supervisor. "They wanted to know how to store and handle breast milk as well as what normal bowel movements look like for a baby on breast milk."

Focus groups revealed that birth mothers shared concerns as well, such as how to use a breast pump and bonding with their baby who is not in their care.

The videos and toolkits are free and available at http://www.aylabirth.org/an-expression-of-love.html. Visitors can obtain the password to the caregiver portal by following the instructions on the website.

Washington County WIC and Ayla Birth are currently working with interested agencies to distribute the toolkits throughout the state and beyond.

With the remaining grant money, Washington County WIC donated breast pumps and accessories to Coffee Creek Correctional facility to further support inmates who are pumping for their infants.

Washington County WIC focuses on nutritional support to low-income pregnant women and families with young children. It includes breastfeeding support groups, nutrition education, and vouchers for healthful foods available locally.

Ayla Birth is a non-profit organization that works to support women at risk of losing custody of their children, either through incarceration, addiction, mental or physical illness and/or domestic violence.

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