August 3, 2020

Participant Quote

WIC is a "Big Help! I love being able to receive food that my children need and like! I love the farmers market coupons!"
                                                                    ~ Missoula Mom ~

Happy World Breastfeeding Week!

Be sure to share with us your World Breastfeeding Week activities!  The USDA released a new tool for staff this week, the WIC Breastfeeding Check-In. View here: https://wicbreastfeeding.fns.usda.gov/breastfeeding-check

Also, Montana WIC has been awarded a WIC FY 2020 Breastfeeding Performance Bonus Award in recognition of the State Agency’s outstanding achievement in promoting breastfeeding among WIC participants.  Montana WIC was one of 9 State agencies to receive a FY2020 Bonus award for demonstrating the highest rates in the proportion of breastfed infants.

Great Beginnings Great Families

The last day to register for GBGF is Monday, August 10th. If you are planning on attending the WIC half-day make sure you select that in your FREE registration.

Local Agency Conference Call 8/6

We will have our scheduled Local Agency Conference call this Thursday, August 6th, at 9am. 

MAWA Outstanding Employee

The MAWA board wants to acknowledge the incredible work being done by WIC local agency staff across Montana. Now is the time to think of the staff person who really has gone above and beyond in WIC program services this year. Attached is MAWA’s Outstanding Employee Nomination [content.govdelivery.com]. You can send your nominations to gayle.esp@riverstonehealth.org. Nominations are due by Wednesday,  August 12, 2020.

New Employee Training

The State Office is virtually hosting New Employee Training September 15th-17th. Please complete the registration form and submit to Lacy via email (as we are all working remotely) and send her any questions.

COVID-19 and In-Utero Infection

New data is emerging to indicate that infants of infected mothers can contract COVID-19 in utero, although it's rare. Cases in France [r20.rs6.net],Italy [r20.rs6.net]and the United States [r20.rs6.net]have pointed to the virus, in some instances, being able to reach the placenta and replicate there. In more encouraging news, scientists think in utero infection will continue to be uncommon, because a recent study [r20.rs6.net] found that while cells in the placenta had many of the receptor proteins that allow viruses to propagate, there was evidence of only "negligible" amounts of a key cell surface receptor and an enzyme that are known to be involved in allowing the coronavirus to enter cells and replicate. This comes at the same time as growing evidence that pregnant women infected with COVID-19 may become more severely ill [r20.rs6.net]. 

Ravalli WIC News Article

Big shout out to the WIC Staff in Ravalli!! They have an article in the paper about World Breastfeeding Week. See Here.

Native Breastfeeding Week

The second week of World Breastfeeding Month (August) is dedicated to Native Breastfeeding Week. The Navajo Nation Breastfeeding Coalition and Bold Futures have teamed up to host the 6th annual #1stSacredFood Twitter Chat that shows love for breastfeeding in Indigenous communities. This will take place on August 13th at 2pm MDT. Don't worry if you have never heard of a Twitter chat or even used Twitter, you will be guided along so you can participate too. Here's an example [r20.rs6.net] of a past #1stSacredFood Twitter Chat. Questions are created ahead of time, and you can participate as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. If interested, please respond to Amanda Singer and/or Esperanza Dodge to get involved, along with what organization you will be representing.

Breastfeeding and Oral Health Webinar

This webinar will focus on how providing breastfeeding support and oral health improves maternal health throughout the life course and reduces inequities. More information.