Purpose
Freeborn County is pleased to offer the services of trained peer counselors for breastfeeding women in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program.
Service
Peer counselors help by:
- Establishing a connection with the family
- Filling the gap in services immediately after hospital discharge for seamless continuity of care
- Helping mothers prevent and manage common concerns with breastfeeding
- Linking moms to breastfeeding help beyond the usual 8:00 to 5:00 services
- Providing ongoing encouragement to help each mother meet her breastfeeding goals
- Serving as a model for breastfeeding
Peers
Peers will offer phone support, contact at the WIC clinic or a home visit by mom’s request. Peers will contact moms monthly during pregnancy, frequently during early days of breastfeeding and monthly as long as baby is breastfeeding.
Freeborn County currently has one peer counselor. Erica Larson is the Peer Program Manager.