August is National Breastfeeding Month! The national theme of “Together We Do Great Things” is a celebration of the power of collaboration. This is true in Nevada County, where the Nevada County Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program and the Breastfeeding Coalition of Nevada County have accomplished a lot on behalf of Nevada County families.
Recent data from the state has Nevada County with the highest hospital breastfeeding initiation rates among all counties for 2019 and the WIC program’s fully breastfeeding rates are in the top 3 for California at the three-, six- and 11-month milestones. WIC offers mothers and babies lots of early breastfeeding support. Families can learn more and see if they qualify by going to www.myfamily.wic.ca.gov or call 530- 265-1454.
This year the Breastfeeding Coalition of Nevada County sponsored a successful “Share the Love” breastmilk donation drive in February with more than 5,151 ounces collected for the San Jose Mothers Milk Bank. This timely breast milk donation helped feed the most vulnerable infants of Nevada County and Northern California, a critical donation given the recent formula crisis that greatly impacted those in need of premature and therapeutic formulas.
Finally, the Breastfeeding Coalition of Nevada County will be sponsoring the Rock and Relax Lounge at the 2022 Nevada County Fair in Ponderosa Hall, which gives mothers a cool place to feed, pump, or change their babies.
The Breastfeeding Coalition of Nevada County represents many individuals and organizations, including Nevada County Public Health, the Maternal Child and Adolescent Health program, WIC, Healthy Babies, The Nest and many more.
WIC is an equal opportunity provider.