title: WIC Participation and Breastfeeding at 3 Months Postpartum.
abstract: Objectives Participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has been associated with lower breastfeeding initiation and duration. This study examines breastfeeding-related factors among WIC participants and nonparticipants that might explain these previous findings. Methods Respondents to the 2007 Infant Feeding Practices Study II who were income-eligible for WIC were categorized as follows: no WIC participation (No-WIC); prenatal participation and infant entry while ≥60 % breastfeeding (WIC BF-high); prenatal participation and infant entry while <60 % breastfeeding (WIC BF-low). Percent breastfeeding was the number of breast milk feeds divided by the total number of liquid feeds. Using propensity scores, we matched WIC BF-high respondents to No-WIC respondents on demographic and breastfeeding factors. We used logistic regression to estimate the impact of WIC participation on breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum in the matched sample. Within-WIC differences were explored. Results Of 743 income-eligible respondents, 293 never enrolled in WIC, 230 were categorized as WIC BF-high, and 220 as WIC BF-low. Compared to matched No-WIC respondents, WIC BF-high respondents had increased odds of breastfeeding at 3 months, though this difference was not statistically significant (OR 1.92; 95 % CI 0.95-3.67; p value 0.07). WIC BF-high respondents were more similar on breastfeeding-related characteristics to No-WIC respondents than to WIC BF-low respondents. Conclusions for Practice Accounting for prenatal breastfeeding intentions and attitudes, we find no negative association between WIC participation and breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum. This is in contrast to prior studies, and highlights the importance of understanding within-WIC differences.
authors.affiliation: General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. gregorye@email.chop.edu.|Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market Street, Room 1417, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. gregorye@email.chop.edu.
authors.forename: Emily F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.affiliation: Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Trang Q
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Arlene M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Butz
authors.affiliation: General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.|Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Sara B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D063105:Food Assistance; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009035:Mothers; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011203:Poverty; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Breastfeeding; Health promotion; Low-income women; WIC