Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - Policy Priority Survey, FNS Announces 2024 WIC Breastfeeding Awardees, & more

The USBC e-Newsletter, Staying Abreast, is published in a weekly news brief format, called the Weekly Wire (WW). Past issues are archived below.

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Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - Policy Priority Survey, FNS Announces 2024 WIC Breastfeeding Awardees, & more

9/12/2024

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- Last Chance to Take the Policy Priority Survey!
- It's Hispanic Heritage Month! Share Your Infant Feeding Resources
- Donate Your Old Vehicle to the USBC and Make a Difference!
National News
- OWH Postpartum Depression Video Series Highlights Role of Lactation Consultants
- FNS Announces 2024 WIC Breastfeeding Awards Recipients
- Report on WIC Nutrition Assessment and Tailoring Study
- March of Dimes Report on Maternity Care Deserts
Action Opportunities
Funding Opportunities
Upcoming Events
News & Views
Journal Publications

denotes a USBC member organization news item denotes a USBC-affiliated constellation news item

USBC Updates

Last Chance to Take the Policy Priority Survey!

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is hosting the "Policy Priority Survey: Help Us Understand the Most Pressing Needs of Breastfeeding Families." The policies that surround and shape our lives are creating barriers that make it difficult or impossible to maintain breastfeeding, but together we can help shift the landscape. Individuals are invited to take the survey and share their perspectives on the breastfeeding policy issues that most urgently need to be addressed in the upcoming Congressional session.

It's Hispanic Heritage Month! Share Your Infant Feeding Resources

Each year, National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15. The 2024 theme is Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together. This celebration is a time to honor the rich histories, cultural influences, and contributions of Hispanic/Latinx individuals and communities in the United States, a diverse group with ancestry from 28 countries. Almost a quarter of all births in the US are to Latinx parents. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to share infant feeding news, resources, and tools relevant to this observance via the submission form so that the USBC can help amplify your efforts.

Donate Your Old Vehicle to the USBC and Make a Difference!

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee partners with CARS, a non-profit 501(c)(3) that turns old vehicles into cash that directly benefits the USBC. By donating your used or otherwise non-functioning vehicle, boat, plane, trailer, RV, or even farm equipment, you will be contributing essential funding for our continued efforts. CARS has made the donation process seamless from start to finish with experts who are prepared to handle all the details for you. All you need to do is complete a simple form or make a call. Then you can sit back and embrace the space you are opening up in your driveway, garage, or shed, all while feeling great about your donation! Not only does your donation make it possible to continue advocating for human milk feeding protections, but it may be tax-deductible for you, too. Visit the Ways to Give webpage to learn more and get started today!

National News

OWH Postpartum Depression Video Series Highlights Role of Lactation Consultants

The Office on Women's Health published the "Sources of Support: Exploring Resources for Postpartum Depression" video series, which includes "Part #3: Lactation Consultants." The video focuses on the critical role lactation consultants play in supporting breastfeeding mothers, particularly during the early postpartum period. It spotlights the holistic approach lactation consultants utilize to foster emotional well-being, identify and respond to symptoms of postpartum depression, and improve breastfeeding outcomes.

FNS Announces 2024 WIC Breastfeeding Awards Recipients

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced the 2024 WIC Breastfeeding Performance Bonus Awardees. FNS awarded a total of $2 million to 15 State agencies, including awards for 10 Indian Tribal Organizations, with the greatest improvement in breastfeeding rates of fully breastfed infants during Fiscal Year 2023. FNS also announced the 2024 WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence Awardees. The award recognizes local WIC agencies that have provided exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support activities and is given at three levels of performance that build on one another: Gold, Premiere, and Elite. In 2024, a total of 103 local agencies received an award with 82 Gold Awardees, twenty Premiere Awardees, and one Elite Awardee.

USBC Insight: The WIC Breastfeeding Awards are one of several programs highlighted in the USBC State and Territory Breastfeeding Reports. The most recent version of the reports show how breastfeeding rates and other measures compare to national levels, lists the coalitions serving that area, and highlights state and community-based lactation projects made possible through federal funding in 2021 and 2022.

Report on WIC Nutrition Assessment and Tailoring Study

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) released a two-part report series detailing the findings from the WIC Nutrition Assessment and Tailoring Study (WIC NATS). WIC NATS is the first study to provide a comprehensive account of the WIC nutrition assessment and tailoring process. Study findings will inform FNS and WIC state and local agencies about how to enhance service delivery and improve retention of WIC participants.

USBC Insight: TheSpecial Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program promotes and supports breastfeeding as an important part of the nutrition service benefits to meet its mission of safeguarding the health of low-income women, infants, and children. All WIC staff are trained to promote breastfeeding and provide the necessary support for breastfeeding families.

March of Dimes Report on Maternity Care Deserts

March of Dimes released the 2024 Report "Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the US." The national report on maternity care access in the United States reveals that over 35% of U.S. counties are considered maternity care deserts, meaning they don't have a single birthing facility or obstetric clinician. Areas with no access to maternal care affected over 2.3 million women of reproductive age and 150,000 births in 2022. The report demonstrates that women living in maternity care deserts and counties with low access to care have poorer health before pregnancy, receive less prenatal care, and experience higher rates of preterm birth.