Department of Health Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week 

Category: Non-Local News Releases Non-Local News Releases
Published: 30 July 2020 30 July 2020

WIC offices statewide invite clients to join 'Big Virtual Latch On' event online 

SANTA FE – New Mexico WIC will be celebrating World Breastfeeding Week across the state by encouraging clients to participate in the Big Virtual Latch On. Registration for the event on August 1, 2020 at 10:00am MST can be found at https://nmbtf.silkstart.com/cpages/thebiglatchon offering numerous ways to participate in this BIG virtual event.

To recognize nursing parents, and this year’s theme of Support Breastfeeding for a Healthier Planet, New Mexico WIC designed special earth-themed postcards to give to our nursing participants to celebrate their dedication to themselves, their infants, and our planet. Presentations on COVID and breastfeeding will be offered to participants in late August as an event for National Breastfeeding Month.

In addition to supporting the Big Virtual Latch On, regional WIC offices (see below) will be providing COVID-safe celebrations for their nursing and pregnant participants, with some clinics teaming up with the New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force or other local organizations to honor nursing WIC families.

  • The Northeast region will provide various product giveaways, including a drawing for five clients to receive a fruit and veggie basket, and participants will be encouraged to join the Breastfeeding Bingo provided by the New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force on August 7, 2020.
  • The Metro region will offer goodie bags throughout the month in lieu of in-person events at local clinics.
  • Southeast regional offices will be holding drive thru/curbside give always and participating in various New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force chapter events, such as a social media blitz to target fathers in Eddy County.
  • Southwest clinics will be preparing various goody bags with t-shirts, books, and fresh fruit from the Farmer’s Market, and hanging banners to show their support for nursing parents in some of the clinics across the region.
  • Some Northwest clinics will be handing out goody bags to participants across the region filled with books and water bottles. In cooperation with the Valencia County Breastfeeding Task Force, the Los Lunas and Belen clinics will be providing care packages on August 5th at 1pm at Belen City Town Hall parking lot in a drive-thru, community celebration.

“During the month of August, WIC will recognize the effort it takes for our nursing parents to make a commitment to providing human milk to their babies while juggling the demands of work, school, family and our current health crisis,” states New Mexico WIC Nursing (Breastfeeding) Manager, Holly Beck. “We want to honor and thank everyone who is, or supports, a nursing parent. Breastfeeding minimizes environmental impacts by providing the sustainable, renewable resource of human milk, and offers long-term protective health benefits to one of our most vulnerable populations,” said Beck.

WIC participants should contact their local WIC clinic for more information about World Breastfeeding Week and National Breastfeeding Month events. 

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children – better known as the WIC Program – serves to safeguard the health of low-income pregnant, postpartum, and nursing (breastfeeding) women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating including nursing (breastfeeding) promotion and support, and referrals to health care.

The New Mexico WIC Program provides free healthy foods, ideas for healthy eating and maintaining good health habits, support for nursing families, and connects families with other community services. This combination of services is designed to create a support system that encourages families to feel confident in their own ability to maintain happy and healthy futures.

For more information about NM WIC, please visit: https://www.nmwic.org/about-wic/ or call (505) 476-8800 or (866) 867-3124.

Information on breastfeeding and COVID-19 can be found on the WHO and CDC websites. COVID-safe practices and more at cv.nmhealth.org  

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