South Carolina WIC Breastfeeding Rates Continue to Increase

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 6, 2024

COLUMBIA, S.C. – August is National Breastfeeding Month, and the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is celebrating the continued increase in the number of breastfed infants in its Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program and encouraging breastfeeding year-round to improve the health of babies across the Palmetto State.

In addition to nutrition education and healthy foods, DPH’s WIC program provides breastfeeding information, support and assistance at no cost to South Carolina families who qualify. Families interested in WIC should visit dph.sc.gov/wic.

Breastfeeding rates in DPH’s WIC program have steadily increased in recent years. In August 2022, 26.9% of infants participating in the program were either fully or partially breastfed. Breastfeeding rates increased to 28.1% in August 2023 and 29.7% in May 2024. 

"We’re delighted about the continued increase in breastfeeding rates within our WIC program, which gives more of South Carolina’s babies a healthy start at the beginning of their lives,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DPH Deputy Director Health Promotion and Services and Chief Medical Officer. “Breastfeeding provides all the nutrients a baby needs for healthy growth and development and, we encourage all mothers to breastfeed their infants, when possible.”

WIC offers resources and collaborates with local organizations to help strengthen breastfeeding promotion and education to help close disparities. These initiatives include: 

• Utilizing educational messages, training, tools and other resources reflective of local culture, ethnicity, language and literacy levels,
• Assigning peer counselors who reflect a WIC participant’s language, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic characteristics, when possible,
• Participating in the Maternal Outcomes Matter Shower Tour (M.O.M.S.). The tour aims to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly among African American and American Indian/Alaska Native women, and
• Partnering with PASOs, which aims to serve individuals and families and strengthen leadership within Latino communities to advance health education and awareness, advocacy, resource navigation, resource connection and leadership development. 

DPH’s WIC program encourages all mothers to breastfeed their infants, unless medically contraindicated. 

Breastfeeding has many benefits including:   

• Breastmilk reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), diabetes and obesity,  
• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of cancer, postpartum depression and low iron for mothers, 
• Breastmilk helps babies develop a higher IQ and improves brain development, 
• Breastmilk promotes lower blood pressure and cholesterol later in life, and 
• Breastfeeding helps a uterus return to its normal size. 

To learn more and for free resources related to breastfeeding, available to WIC and non-WIC participating families, visit DPH’s WIC breastfeeding page.

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