Breastfeeding

Marion County WIC, with support from the USDA, strives to empower and equip families with the resources and support they need to provide breastmilk to their babies.  We promote breastfeeding, chestfeeding, exclusively pumping, and any other way of providing human milk to infants as a public health imperative to promote healthy and optimal nutrition for babies.  Together with our families, the WIC Breastfeeding Team strives to walk alongside them in their journey to provide this to their babies. 

In August 2021, Marion County WIC Breastfeeding Team was honored as a Gold recipient of the Loving Support Award of Excellence for Breastfeeding Support. This honor reflects our commitment to serve the community through our breastfeeding peer counselor and lactation consultant program. 

Every prenatal and postpartum breastfeeding mom has a WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor at their clinic. A WIC Peer Counselor is a WIC mother that supports other WIC clients with breastfeeding. WIC peer counselors have valuable experience breastfeeding their own baby and they know what it’s like being a new mom. They are here to support and encourage other WIC mothers to meet their breastfeeding goals. They are available in the WIC clinics, over the phone or by text.  Marion County WIC also has lactation consultants on staff to support any high risk needs for clients and their babies to help overcome any barriers to meeting their breastfeeding goal.  To find out who your peer counselor is or to speak with a lactation consultant, please call 317-221-7407.

The WIC Breastfeeding Drop in Center was opened in 2017 to have a dedicated clinic where breastfeeding dyads can be seen. The Drop in Center welcomes walk in or scheduled appts for latch support, pump needs, weight checks, and breastfeeding counseling or consultation.  Location is 3840 N. Sherman Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46226 (Located inside the Eskenazi Forest Manor Health Clinic), and the hours are 9-4pm Monday through Friday.  Call 317-221-7407 to schedule an appointment or please stop by.