Breastfeeding
Do you need assistance with breastfeeding?
Call today to speak to our certified lactation consultant at 309-837-9951 ext 2170.
Research has shown that there is no better food than breast milk for a baby’s first year of life. Breastfeeding provides many health, nutritional, economical and emotional benefits to mother and baby.
Since a major goal of the WIC Program is to improve the nutritional status of infants, WIC mothers are encouraged to breastfeed their infants.
WIC mothers choosing to breastfeed are provided information through counseling and breastfeeding educational materials.
- Breastfeeding mothers receive follow-up support through counselors.
- Breastfeeding mothers are eligible to participate in WIC longer than non-breastfeeding mothers.
- Mothers who exclusively breastfeed their infants receive an enhanced food package.
- Breastfeeding mothers can receive breast pumps and encouragement to help support the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding.
Milk Depot
1 in 9 US babies are born preterm, and prematurity is the leading cause of death for newborns. Premature babies are 79% less likely to develop necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and other devastating illnesses when they take breast milk exclusively. Yet many mothers of premature infants struggle to provide breast milk for their babies.
Are you interested in donating breastmilk? Before a mother can donate milk and drop it off at the McDonough County Health Department Milk Depot she must be screened by the Mother’s Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes. Mothers may contact the milk bank at 847-262-5134 to start the initial phone screening. Once the application has been approved the milk bank arranges for the mother to have blood work at no cost to the mother. The McDonough County Health Department is approved to provide this blood work. Once the mother has been screened and approved she will receive instructions and a donor number. She is then free to drop off milk at the Health Department milk depot at 505 E. Jackson in Macomb. If you have questions about the Milk Depot, call 309-837-9951 ext 2170