ADA, Okla. – The Chickasaw Nation Women, Infants and Children (WIC) supplemental nutrition program team recently received a 2024 Breastfeeding Performance Bonus Award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and was just one of 15 agencies nationwide to receive the award.
The award is in recognition of the Chickasaw Nation WIC team’s outstanding achievement in improving its rate of fully breastfed infants during the fiscal year of 2023. “The Chickasaw Nation achieved a 5.17% increase in fully breastfed infants in fiscal year 2023 and is one of 15 WIC state agencies (in the United States) that were awarded this year,” Kiley Larson, USDA Acting Director Funding and Technology Division Supplemental Nutrition and Safety Programs, Food and Nutrition Service, wrote in the award letter. “I commend the Chickasaw Nation (WIC) agency for its exemplary efforts in WIC breastfeeding promotion and support, and I hope you will keep breastfeeding a high priority as we continue to improve WIC breastfeeding rates. We are proud of your achievement which demonstrates your continued promotion and support of breastfeeding.”
The Chickasaw Nation WIC program serves all eligible families with nutritious foods, breastfeeding support and other educational resources. Services are designed for pregnant or postpartum women, infants and children up to age 5. Participants must live within the Chickasaw Nation.
Chickasaw Nation WIC Director Katrina Lewis said the recognition is the result of the collaboration among the WIC team and the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health, as well as an unwavering commitment to provide mothers, infants and families support during every step of their breastfeeding journey.
Client Maci Parnacher is one of those mothers. The Ada mother gave birth to her third child, a boy, in 2023 and planned to breastfeed, just as she had her two older children. “I’ve breastfed all three of my babies and I’ve loved it every single time. I chose it for the health benefits that occur, not only for me but for the baby too,” she said.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infants who are breastfed have reduced risk of asthma, obesity, Type 1 diabetes, ear infections and other health issues. Breastfeeding can help lower a mother’s risk for high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, ovarian cancer and breast cancer.
Parnacher also enjoys the mother-child bonding moments breastfeeding provides.
“All three breastfeeding journeys have been different, and the WIC ladies are so good to encourage me. Especially this last time around, my son was born with a lip tie and a really high palate, so it made it difficult for him to nurse.”
A lip tie is a condition where the tissue that connects the upper lip to the gums is too short, making it difficult to move the lips.
Parnacher also experienced issues with a low milk supply and mastitis. When she needs support and encouragement, help is just a text message or phone call away.
“The ladies are really good to encourage me to keep going when I wanted to give up. They supplied me with resources from reading resources to online resources and they gave me a silicone breast pump. That really helped me get through,” Parnacher said. “We are 18 months into (breastfeeding) and he’s still going strong. There are no signs of him wanting to stop any time soon.”
Other resources available to Chickasaw Nation WIC families include a “warm” line – a phone number any mom can call for advice – as well as community events and programs such as a breast pump loaner program, virtual education classes and support groups and the MOM Circle mobile app, which are all designed to support breastfeeding mothers.
“We do lots to try to support and celebrate moms and breastfeeding. As natural as it is, it can be challenging and it’s a skill that moms have to learn with each child because every child is different,” Laura Robinson, Chickasaw Nation WIC Breastfeeding Education and Promotion Manager, said.
Chickasaw Nation WIC staffs three International Board Certified Lactation Consultants as well as breastfeeding peer counselors. Lactation consultants are also available to Chickasaw Nation employees, regardless of WIC participation.
Robinson said every Chickasaw Nation WIC team member is trained in breastfeeding support and encouragement and peer counseling.
“I think that really sets us apart from a lot of other WIC agencies. We are there to connect with moms. We genuinely care and want them to feel that, and we want them to feel supported,” Robinson said.
Lewis said the increase in breastfeeding rates is the result of many Chickasaw Nation teams working together to provide the same resources and reach as many families as possible.
“I think we are really seeing a lot of the fruits from that effort of working together and collaborating internally, which we’re really proud of,” she said.
The national recognition was a surprise, Lewis said, but it is a testament of the Chickasaw Nation WIC team’s commitment to work together to meet the Chickasaw Nation’s mission, “to enhance the overall quality of life of the Chickasaw people.’’
“This award shows the dedication and the heart of our WIC employees, from nutrition specialists to our breastfeeding peer counselors to registered dietitians and lactation consultants. We really work together as a team,” Lewis said.
The Chickasaw Nation WIC program provides 4,000 women, infants and children nutrition benefits and education. Chickasaw Nation WIC serves First American and non-First American clients.
For more information, visit ChickasawNationHealth.net/WIC or call (580) 421-4581.
For 24-hour breastfeeding support, contact (888) 439- 8970.