WIC Program Provides Healthy Options for Women at Risk

Written by Rita Bowers, RedCross.org

April 9, 2002 — A pregnant woman having her first child may have questions about her ever-changing body. She may also want to know how her actions are affecting her baby, and what food and nutrition resources are available to her.

WIC nutrition assistant Noemi Sias helps Spanish- and English-speaking women learn about breastfeeding.

The American Red Cross San Diego/Imperial Counties Chapter gives women answers and assistance by offering the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) Program. The WIC Program provides nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion, medical care referrals, and specific supplemental nutritious foods. WIC is a national program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The goal of the program is to decrease the risk of poor birth outcomes and improve the health of participants during critical times in their growth and development. WIC is available to low income pregnant, breastfeeding, and post-partum women and children under age five who are at nutritional risk and who are at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level.

"The WIC Program is a perfect fit with the humanitarian mission of the American Red Cross," said Cindy Rich, director of the Red Cross WIC Program. "The chapter administers the program under federal guidelines and we provide links to other critical resources, such as medical, alcohol and drug rehab programs and other food programs. We also refer clients to programs in our chapter, such as CPR courses and the Infant Car Seat Safety Program."

The chapter began offering the WIC Program to local residents in 1974. The program was initiated by Dodie Rotherham, then director of nursing, who worked with pregnant teens and felt that the chapter could help young mothers in the community by providing the service. Rotherham, the current executive director of the chapter, started with a staff of two and serviced close to 1,000 people. Today, the staff has grown to 100 employees who service more than 36,000 people, including military families.

"The American Red Cross WIC Program, has certified lactation educators in every office to support our breastfeeding mothers and educate pregnant participants on the benefits of breast milk," said Rich. "There is no greater job satisfaction than knowing that you identified a mother's incorrect preparation of formula for her underweight infant, discovered that a child may be obese due to the excess juice or milk found in his diet or recharged a new mother to continue breastfeeding her infant when she came to her WIC appointment deflated, frustrated and ready to switch to formula. Each staff member will have their own success stories to tell, but they all share one thing in common: people helping people."

One employee with a success story is Noemi Sias. Sias is a nutrition assistant who provides lactation education. She started as a nutrition aide in 1990 and became a certified lactation educator in 1998. She talks to women in both Spanish and English about the benefits of breastfeeding and teaches them proper breastfeeding techniques.

"I have had moms come to me in tears because they can't breastfeed their babies," said Sias. "Breastfeeding is such a wonderful thing for babies. They don't get sick as often and it's a beautiful bonding experience that is very rewarding for the mothers."

Sias also talks to women about their diet and recommends healthy options for their families. "Throughout the years, I have really enjoyed the ability to help so many moms make appropriate changes to their diet to help women and their families eat more nutritiously," she said.

For more information about this chapter, visit the San Diego/Imperial Counties Web site.

For more information about the WIC Program, visit the USDA WIC Program Web site.