WIC

A new study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children was underutilized. In 2021, it served only about half the number of those who qualified.

In Missouri, most WIC mothers start breastfeeding but stop during the first year. Experts say there needs to be more support for retention because breastfeeding supports public health.

Pregnant and postpartum women in the WIC program can now get free prenatal vitamins from the St. Charles County Department of Public Health. Clients can get a six-month supply at the department’s Health Services Clinic during nutritional counseling appointments.

WIC, or Women, Infants and Children, is an education and supplemental nutrition program for pregnant and postpartum people, as well as children up to age 5.

During the pandemic, participation in the federal program for low-income women and children dropped more steeply in Missouri than in all but one other state, a new report found. One cause might be Missouri's burdensome administrative system, which requires EBT cards to be physically swiped when loading benefits.

St. Louis-based lactation consultant Erin O’Reilly has the recipe for breastfeeding support.

This article first appeared in the St. louis Beacon: The low-rise building at Cass Avenue and 14th Street is now a used-car lot, but many neighborhood…

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 20, 2010 - The low-rise building at Cass Avenue and 14th Street is now a used-car lot, but many…