Women Describing the Infant Feeding Choice: The Impact of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children’s Breastfeeding Classes in Ionia, Michigan Jennifer Proto, BA Public Health Associate Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2015 PHAP/PHPS Summer Seminar Wednesday, June 3, 2015 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support

Significance to Public Health  Mothers in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, a limited income group, are at risk for low breastfeeding rates and poor health outcomes.

Background and Rationale for the Project  Breastfeeding surveillance is important, yet does not provide an explanation.  This project evaluated how women describe the impact of the breastfeeding classes, specifically the “Bring Your Baby to Work” program, on their infant feeding decisions at WIC in Ionia, MI.

Methods  The evaluation looked at two groups:  Mothers in the breastfeeding class with the baby  Mothers in the breastfeeding class without the baby  The breastfeeding peer counselor administered pre and post surveys to each group.  After collecting the surveys, all data was inputted into SPSS, and the following tests were run:  Spearman’s Rho test  Gamma tests

Results  The breastfeeding class and the baby’s presence empowered women to make an infant feeding choice.  Moderate correlation: decision to breastfeed and the class’s impact on the ability to make an infant feeding choice  Strong correlation: decision to breastfeed and the class’s impact on the ability to make an infant feeding choice  Strong correlation: desire to learn about breastfeeding and the class’s impact on the ability to make an infant feeding choice  Strong correlation: baby’s presence helpful in learning and influential in the decision to breastfeed

The Decision to Breastfeed and the Class’s Impact on the Infant Feeding Choice

The Decision to Breastfeed and the Class’s Impact on the Ability to Make an Infant Feeding Choice

Desire to Learn about Breastfeeding and the Class’s Impact on the Ability to Make an Infant Feeding Choice

Baby’s Presence Helpful in Learning and Influential in the Decision to Breastfeed

Results  Women highly value the child’s father and family members’ support and influence in making their infant feeding choices.  Moderate/strong correlation: decision to breastfeed and the support of the child’s father  Moderate correlation: decision to breastfeed and the influence of family members

The Decision to Breastfeed and the Support of the Child’s Father

The Decision to Breastfeed and the Influence of Family

Implications for Practice  Preliminary findings suggest that while WIC plays a role in women’s infant feeding choices, women highly value the child’s father and family members’ support and influence.  To increase breastfeeding rates, Ionia WIC should look to involve these members.  Further exploration will include administering the pre- and post-surveys to the classes without the baby present. Data within the group without the baby and across both groups will be analyzed.

Thank you! I would like to thank my CDC supervisor, Linda Kirk, host site supervisor, Ken Bowen, collaborators, Laurie Brinks and Sara Hyland, and former professor, Aaron PeeksMease for their help and support in this project!

For more information, please contact CDC’s Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support 4770 Buford Highway NE, Mailstop E-70, Atlanta, GA Telephone: CDC-INFO ( )/TTY: The findings and conclusions in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Any questions? Jennifer Proto Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support