Education and Support Resources to Share with Your Employees: Excerpts from the MFWP Education and Support Implementation Guide

Education Resources:

Print and Audio/Visual Resources to provide to your employeesProviding access to written or visual information is a simple, low-cost way to provide educational support. Materials can include educational books, pamphlets, and DVDs specific to breastfeeding and combining work and parenthood. You might also include brochures and pamphlets that provide general health tips and information about community resources. If you have designated space for a lactation room, then you can store materials there. Otherwise, you can create a lending library and allow employees to check out materials. You may also hand out materials when an employee is leaving for parental leave or returning to work. Including links from your intranet page is another way to provide easy access to useful information for your employees.

Freely Available Resources

From the Texas Department of State Health Services: The Texas WIC Catalog includes many brochures, flyers, handouts, posters, forms, training

materials, music CDs, informational DVDs, and related items. Many items are available for order in limited quantities and/or are in a printable format; DVDs and CDs are available for the cost of reproduction.

Browsing Tips: Click on Browse, then on Main Menu: View Catalog Items. To see all items offered through the catalog or items in a selected category, use the toolbar at the top of the catalog to move from page to page or to increase the number of items that can be viewed per page: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/wichd/wiccatalog/contents.shtm

The DSHS Audiovisual Library consists of video (DVD, VHS), slides, tapes, audio CD, and CD-ROM programs on health and safety education topics. These materials are available on a free-loan basis (up to 10 days) to residents of the state of Texas and can be delivered by mail: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/avlib/default.shtm

From the US Office on Women’s Health: “Business Case for Breastfeeding” Toolkit. Includes “Employee’s Guide to Breastfeeding”

brochure, promotional flyers, promotional table tents, drop-in newsletter communication, lactation support feedback forms, etc.: http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/government-in-action/business-case-for-breastfeeding/#toolKit

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“Your Guide to Breastfeeding.” Offered in multiple languages, provides how-to information for women to breastfeed successfully: http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/breastfeeding-guide/

“Breastfeeding: Frequently Asked Questions” Fact Sheet: http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/Breastfeeding.pdf

From the US Department of Agriculture’s WIC Loving Support Learning Center Breastfeeding Promotion Materials:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/wicworks/Learning_Center/support_materials.html

Additional Recommendations for Print or Audio-visual Educational Resources: Texas WIC Breastmilkcounts.com: http://www.breastmilkcounts.com/resources.html

La Leche League Book Evaluation Committee Annotated Bibliography: http://www.llli.org/bec/bec.html

New Hampshire Breastfeeding Resource Guide: http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/nhp/wic/documents/guide.pdf

Online General Breastfeeding Education and Support Resources:Provide this list to your employees in a printed list format or to link to your organization’s intranet:

Texas Department of State Health Services/Texas WIC One-Stop Breastfeeding Resource:www.breastmilkcounts.org

Texas WIC Online Classes: http://texaswic.dshs.state.tx.us/wiclessons/english/breastfeeding/

US Office on Women’s Health Breastfeeding Information:http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Breastfeeding Recommendations: http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/recommendations/index.htm

American Academy of Pediatrics’ website, HealthyChildren.org: http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/default.aspx

KellyMom.com: Breastfeeding and parenting information from an IBCLC: http://www.kellymom.com

La Leche League, International: A not-for-profit organization whose mission is “to help mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an

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important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.”: http://www.llli.org/

Best for Babes Foundation: A not-for-profit foundation whose mission is “to change the cultural perception of breastfeeding and to beat the Booby Traps™—the cultural and institutional barriers that prevent moms from achieving their personal breastfeeding goals (whether that’s two days, two months or two years) without judgment, pressure, or guilt.” http://www.BestforBabes.org

Black Mother’s Breastfeeding Association: A nonprofit organization whose objective is to provide education, valuable resources, and ongoing support to breastfeeding mothers, their families, and the African-American community. http://www.blackmothersbreastfeeding.org/

Support Resources to share to your employees:

Texas Statewide Lactation Support Warm Lines: Phone-based information, support, and referrals available for use by anyone in the State of Texas:

1-800-514-6667

1-877-550-5008

1-855-550-6667

http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/wichd/bf/hotline.shtm

Online Texas Lactation Directoryhttp://www.breastmilkcounts.com/resources

Office on Women’s Health National Breastfeeding Helpline: 800-994-9662

http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/finding-support-and-information/national-breastfeeding-helpline.cfm

Other support resources:

The Texas Department of State Health Services Women, Infants and Children Program. An income-based nutrition program that helps pregnant women, new mothers, and young children eat well, learn about nutrition, and stay healthy. WIC provides nutrition education and counseling, nutritious foods, and help accessing health care to low-income women, infants,

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and children. WIC clients are eligible to receive breastfeeding education and support, including mother-to-mother support through the WIC Peer Counselor Program. http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/wichd/default.shtm

La Leche League of Texas. Provides information about local La Leche League chapters: http://www.llli.org/web/texas.html

Clinical Lactation Support:WIC Lactation Training and Resource Centers: Any family in Texas that is eligible for the WIC program may receive professional lactation support, free of charge, at lactation clinics in Austin, Dallas, and Houston.

Mom’s Place8701-B Research Boulevard (Hwy 183)Austin, TX 78758512-719-3010Toll free: 800-514-6667 (Leave a message after hours. Calls will be returned within 24 hours.) Email: MomsPlace@ci.austin.tx.us http://www.momsplace.org

Lactation Care Center2600 North Stemmons FreewaySuite 188Dallas, TX 75207214-670-7222Toll free: 855-550-6667Email: LactationCareCenter@dallascityhall.com http://www.dallascityhall.com/housing/lactation_center/index.html

Lactation Foundation2636 South Loop West #135Houston, TX 77054713-839-0527Toll free: 877-550-5008Email: Lactation.Foundation@uth.tmc.edu http://www.lactationfoundation.org/http://www.facebook.com/lactationfoundation

ILCA directory: A public directory of ILCA members who are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants: http://www.ilca.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3432

Contact your local hospitals and clinics to see what lactation support resources they may offer.

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