Health Department observes World Breast-feeding Week (Desoto Sun Herald)

The Women, Infants and Children program at the DeSoto County Health Department marks World Breast-feeding Week this week.

This year's theme, "Code Watch: 25 Years of Protecting Breast-feeding," highlights the importance of protecting breast-feeding in communities throughout the world. It celebrates the 25-year history of the "International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes," which provides guidelines for the appropriate marketing of infant formula and bottle-feeding products, and challenges communities to provide a supportive environment regarding infant feeding issues.

The DeSoto County WIC Program supports breast-feeding and has a variety of resources and qualified staff available to assist new mothers. The WIC program also provides nutritious supplemental foods, nutrition education and referrals for health care. Eligible women and children participating in the WIC program receive WIC food checks to purchase milk, cheese, eggs, peanut butter or dry beans, cereals high in iron, and fruit or vegetable juices high in vitamin C from authorized stores. Fully breast-feeding women may also receive extra WIC foods, including carrots and canned tuna fish.

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