Peer Counselor Program Increases Breastfeeding Rates in Utah Native American WIC Population

Abstract

Lack of breastfeeding promotion and support hinder successful breastfeeding. In this study, a breastfeeding peer counselor program improved both the initiation rate and duration of breastfeeding up to three months postpartum among Native American WIC participants. Trained peer counselors contacted subjects prenatally, and at one, two, and four to six weeks postpartum. Breastfeeding rates for the experimental group were compared to historical controls. Women in the peer counselor group who had complete data for three months (n=41) had a higher rate of breastfeeding than the control group (n=67) at initiation (84 percent vs. 70 percent; p=0.05) and at three months postpartum (49 percent vs. 36 percent; p=0.08).