Missouri Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program

Who is a peer counselor?
Women in the community with personal breastfeeding experience who provide information and support to other mothers.
 “That’s what it’s all about…moms helping moms.”
                                          WIC Peer Counselor

What Does A Peer Counselor Do?

• Gives basic breastfeeding information and support to new mothers.
• Helps mothers achieve their own breastfeeding goals.
• Regularly contacts mothers during their pregnancy, during the early days of breastfeeding, and until the mother chooses to wean her baby.
• Refers mothers with concerns outside the peer counselor’s scope of practice to appropriate lactation experts or healthcare professionals.
• Refers non-WIC mothers to other community breastfeeding resources, if they are not eligible for WIC.
• Is a role model for other WIC mothers.

How to find a peer counselor?

Missouri currently has 73 WIC agencies with peer counselors on staff. Click here to view a mapshowing which counties offer peer counseling. You can use the interactive Missouri map for WIC clinic location and contact information.

More information on breastfeeding is on the Missouri Department of Health website.