The Colorado WIC Program recommends breastfeeding as superior nutrition for infants and as a foundation for optimal health, growth and development. Breastfeeding of infants decreases the incidence of diarrhea, ear infections, pneumonia, allergies, and other acute and chronic illnesses. In addition, breastfeeding offers numerous health benefits to mothers and results in substantial health care cost savings.
The Colorado WIC Program is committed to promoting breastfeeding as the preferred method for infant feeding. This is done through providing breastfeeding education and support during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Historically, breastfeeding rates are lower among the population served by WIC. Through WIC's educational efforts rates among the WIC population have increased substantially.
The Healthy People Year 2010 Breastfeeding Objective is to have 75% of mothers initiate breastfeeding, 50% continue to breastfeed for at least 6 months, and 25% breastfeeding at 1 year. |
