Meets policy requirement for WIC BF competency training.
March 22 Mt Vernon - class full March 23 East St. Louis March 24 Springfield - class full March 25 Springfield - class full March 26 Bloomington - class full
May 4 Chicago - class full May 5 Aurora May 6 Rockford - class full
The 2009 State Breastfeeding Conference was held on April 8-9, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield, Illinois. Sponsored by the Illinois Department of Human Services, over 500 staff from local WIC agencies, hospital Lactation Consultants, LaLeche League members, community organizations, nurses from physicians offices, health department program staff and private Lactation Consultants attended the two day conference.
Fourteen bulletin boards reflecting the new breastfeeding food packages were entered by local WIC agencies in the "The Breastfeeding Food Package Bulletin" contest sponsored by Ameda. This year's bulletin board contest presented a useful way to prepare clients and staff for the change in breastfeeding food packages and included marketing approaches to "sell" the package.
Near North submitted the winning bulletin board as voted by conference attendees and will receive a "pizza party" for their agency staff as well as "bragging rights!"
"Making a Difference in Breastfeeding" Awards
The following individuals, businesses or local WIC agencies were honored during the conference. Congratulations!
Community Award
Macon County Health Department Dr. Terry Mason, Chicago Department of Health Christy Brewer & Jennifer Ratliff, Sangamon County Walgreens Representatives
Education Award
Jan Barger & Carole Peterson, Lactation Education Consultants
Service Award
Sue Oseland, DHS Conference Coordinator Belinda Sayadian, Mile Square Health Center Janet Tolley, St. John's Hospital
Breastfeeding is Smart Business Award Ameda, Inc. CEFCU
Peer Counselor Connection Award Leah Lanman & Rene Smith, Coles County Health Department Liliana Mora, CEDA Stephenson County Doula Program - Juana Ortiz & Kat Penkava Becky Bennett, St. Clair County Health Department
Honorable Mention Debra Magary, Coordinated Youth & Human Services La Stella Felton, Near North Health Services Mary Boes, Sangamon County Health Department Walgreens, Sangamon County
The following additional information on the New WIC Breastfeeding Food Packages was presented.
The last major revisions to the WIC food packages were in 1980. At that time, the food packages were developed based on deficiencies in the diets of low-income pregnant women, infants, and children. The nutrients targeted included: vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, and protein.
The nutritional needs of WIC participants have changed. In 2003, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) was asked by the Department of Agriculture to conduct a scientific review of the nutrition needs of the WIC population and to make recommendations for changes to the current food packages.
In 2007 revisions to the food packages were made. The food package changes support the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and infant feeding practice guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The revisions in the August 2008 proposed Federal Regulations were:promote and support the establishment of successful, long-term breastfeeding, provide WIC participants with a wider variety of foods including fruits, vegetables and whole grains, provide State agencies greater flexibility in prescribing food packages to accommodate the cultural food preferences of WIC participants and support the nutrition education messages delivered in the WIC clinic.
The new food packages help to reinforce key nutrition messages such as: eat more fruits and vegetables, lower saturated fat and cholesterol intake, increase whole grains and fiber, drink less juice and sweetened beverages and babies are meant to be breastfed.
The revisions to the food packages are required to be cost neutral with reductions in quantities of some items, which are expected to pay for new items.
Some highlights of the new food packages:
One of the exciting new food categories to be introduced in the new food packages is whole grains. For the first time - Illinois will offer whole grain bread, brown rice, whole grain cereals and soft corn tortillas.
Another new aspect of the WIC program is the new Fruit and vegetable vouchers. Women and children will receive vouchers to purchase $6, $8 and $10 amounts of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. To offset the costs of the fruit and vegetable vouchers, there will be some reduction in the quantities of juice offered in all categories. Besides the IOM recommendation that the majority of fruit servings come from whole fruit rather than juice, we recognize the importance of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet.
Another change being introduced is soymilk - under special circumstances - as an alternative to fluid milk. Other changes in the milk category include: low-fat milk for women and children ages 2 and over, reductions in amounts provided depending on the category, again, to meet the saturated fat and total fat recommendations of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines. In aligning the food package with recommendations to reduce cholesterol, the amount of eggs will be reduced. Also, the IOM determined that protein is no longer a priority nutrient for the WIC population.
At this time, Illinois will continue to provide only dry beans - due in part because of the added costs of canned beans.
Infant package changes include: ·infant baby foods will be added to the food packages to encourage healthy eating patterns that incorporate a variety of foods including fruits and vegetables and ·exclusively breastfed infants will receive a larger quantity of infant fruits/vegetables as well as infant meats. ·and there are also changes in the amounts of infant formula in the packages.
Materials provided included a "Breastfeeding Food Package Toolkit" --