PRESS RELEASE
For additional information contact William Leebel 301-609-6759
Charles County Department of Health
Southern Maryland WIC Program
Announces World Breastfeeding Month
August 6, 2010 – In celebration of World Breastfeeding Month, the Southern Maryland WIC Program is launching its “Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program”. The breastfeeding peer counselor program is intended to provide “Mom-to-Mom” support with breastfeeding and hopes to increase the rates of breastfeeding initiation, duration and exclusivity in Charles, St. Mary’s and Calvert Counties.
The Maryland WIC Program is a supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children under 5 years of age. It provides healthy supplemental foods and nutrition counseling for pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children under five years of age. In Maryland, WIC serves more than 130,000 women each month and serves more than 6,000 in Southern Maryland Tri-County areas.
Breastfeeding is very important to babies as it decreases the risk for illnesses like ear infections and asthma, risk of obesity in later life, and even the risk of SIDS! Mothers who breastfeed are less likely to suffer from female cancers, and often have an easier time going back to their pre-pregnancy size. To learn more about WIC and our breastfeeding support services call WIC at 1-877-631-6182, visit the Maryland WIC Website at http://fha.maryland.gov/wic/, or visit one of your local WIC Clinics listed below:
Charles County Department of Health Calvert County Health Department
4545 Crain Highway 975 Solomon’s Island Rd.
White Plains, MD. 20695 Prince Frederick, MD. 20678
301-609-6857 410-535-5400
Lusby Clinic @ Family Health and Wellness Center St. Mary’s County Health Department
255 Town Square Drive Suite 3 21580 Peabody St.
Lusby, MD.20675 Leonardtown, MD. 20650
877-631-6182 301-475-4362
Lexington Park Clinic - J. Patrick Jarboe Education and Headstart Center
21161 Lexwood Drive, Room 1
Lexington Park, MD. 20653 301-737-5562
# # # #
