Mendocino County WIC helps Women, Infants and Children
FORT BRAGG >> The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), a federally-funded USDA program administered through the state to the county, is a nutrition program that helps mothers and children eat well and stay healthy, providing them with healthy food; breastfeeding support; and referral to medical providers and to community services.
The program serves women who are pregnant, those who have just had a baby and are breastfeeding or not, have a child under 5, have low to medium income and/or receive Medi-Cal, CalWorks or CalFresh benefits and live in California.
Clemencia Paniagua, who has been working with WIC for three years and became the program’s nutritionist three months ago, says they currently serve between 1,700 and 2,000 clients, an upward trend since the pandemic began.
“Although we were previously more hands-on and it’s a bit more difficult now, we’re still here for them. Many people lost their jobs or work less because of having to take care of children. Although our caseload has increased, we are still able to serve our clients—primarily through phone contact.” she says.
Nutritional education is a key component of the program—especially for nursing mothers.
Prior to the pandemic, Paniagua would meet with clients monthly and provide packaged foods with adequate nutritional requirements—those that are high in iron, folic acid, vitamins C and D and calcium—including eggs, cheese, yogurt, grains, legumes, cereal, juice and canned fish.
WIC staff make sure their participants are increasing their fresh vegetable and fruit intake—foods they are lacking—and provide EBT cards that can be used at stores and at the Farmers’ Market.
“I will have long conversations about fruits and vegetables that their kids enjoy, what’s the best way to introduce salad to a baby. There are many times when pediatricians don’t have time for those discussions and we do. That’s one of the things I love about the program,” says Paniagua.
Nicole Pogrund, an international board-certified lactation consultant, is the coordinator for the breastfeeding program and the breastfeeding peer counseling program at WIC.
With the breastfeeding program built into WIC— the whole staff is well-educated and highly-trained— Pogrund works with mothers who have complications and require more specific support.
Initial contact with clients begins during pregnancy with breastfeeding counselors reaching out to determine needs, answer questions and determine prior experience. Contact continues when the baby is born to make sure that ongoing, necessary support is maintained.
Pogrund explains that the most common challenge for women is the uncertainty about having enough milk to feed their babies.
“This is universal, not just in our community, so we do a lot to help women feel confident that their bodies are meant for this and educate them about the necessary steps to ensure that they will have enough milk.
Almost all women do have enough milk if they know how to manage lactation.
“We talk about how breastfeeding is good nutrition, how it is healthier for the mother’s body, helping them to recover from pregnancy, and that it’s normal infant feeding—the way babies come into the world expecting to be fed.”
For mothers with special needs, as in the case of the birth of a premature baby and who are not breastfeeding, special formula, only prescribed by a doctor and usually more expensive, is provided by WIC.
“As a nutritionist, right now I am seeing premature babies and those born with health or medical conditions. We know they’re being checked regularly by their pediatricians but we also keep an eye on them to make sure they’re following the nutritional instructions on how to feed their babies,” says Paniagua.
The program works with mothers who may be doing substance abuse and, in addition to WIC assistance, women are referred to county agencies that can support them in other areas of their lives.
Last year, staff focused on a postpartum depression survey to determine how women were doing after their deliveries but, because of COVID, the survey was stopped.
“I think we’ll see a big change; I believe mothers are having a harder time this year; hopefully we can get back to the survey when things return to normal,” says Paniagua.
Paniagua says that her greatest challenge is talking with mothers who need to make a lifestyle change, encouraging them to start thinking in this direction.
“Sometimes it’s lack of education that gives us the wrong health style; sometimes we think we don’t need to make a change.”
For Pogrund, it is the challenge of making contact and maintaining ongoing connections—mothers are busy with their new babies and shy about reaching out.
“Our program is different in that we spend a lot of time with our clients. I make it as easy as possible for them— we are available by text if that fits in better between feeding and diaper changes,” she says.
For Paniagua, her greatest joy is teaching new mothers who are so enthusiastic about learning and trying to do their best for their babies and for Pogrund, it is her love of children and the relationships between mothers and children that she finds so satisfying in her work.
Breastfeeding support and information are available to all WIC Program participants with services provided at nine sites throughout the county with fix-based offices in Ukiah, Willits and Fort Bragg. Staff travel to outlying clinics monthly or bi-monthly in Point Arena, Boonville, Covelo, Laytonville and Gualala. There is an office at the Consolidated Tribal Health Project. For more information, call 1 855. 843 2949. The Breast Start hotline is 855 855 MILK (6455 to speak to a lactation consultant) with afterhours assistance available at these numbers.