This year’s theme for World Breastfeeding Month is "Breastfeeding…Anytime, Anywhere." Breastfeeding can be achieved and accepted in a variety of settings and is a part of the mother and baby’s lives. By building partnerships with business leaders, community partners and local coalitions we can all help build breastfeeding-friendly communities to make breastfeeding a reality for mothers. The Healthy People 2010 goal is to increase the proportion of mothers who breastfeed their babies to 75% in the early postpartum period, 50% at 6 months and 25% at 12 months. In order to achieve these goals, breastfeeding should become a cultural norm and piece of the puzzle that starts with accepting a mother breastfeeding anytime, anywhere.

The activities for this year are packed with receptions, open houses, picnics, walks and give-a-way items. Specific activities include the Mid-Ohio Valley WIC picnic on August 1st with face painting, child’ s safety seat inspection, and a local fire truck and fireman attending. The Charleston/Valley WIC is having an open house on August 2nd from 1 to 3 with the theme "Breastfeeding Works for Working Women"; guest speakers this year include Senator Dan Foster, Amy Weintraub from Child’s Right to Nurse Act and a former WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor. The Randolph/Elkins WIC open house is held in Buckhannon on August 2nd from 2-4 and they will be taking pictures of mother’s and baby’s to put in a personal photo album as a gift. The Huntington/Valley WIC open house will be held on August 3 rd from 2-4, welcoming all breastfeeding and pregnant moms as well as their supporters. Shenandoah WIC is having an open house on August 4th inviting all pregnant and breastfeeding women from the community. The Monongalia/Morgantown WIC will have a breastfeeding display at the Health Science library for the entire month and their will be celebrations in other counties as well. The Summersville WIC is having a kiddie fair inside a local church on August 4th 11-3. Wheeling-Ohio WIC is participating in the "Walk in support of protecting breastfeeding" at the Ohio Valley Mall on August 5th. TSN WIC is having a picnic on August 11th with food, give-a-ways, and will be honoring their breastfeeding mom of the year.

The State WIC office is involved with the signing of the breastfeeding proclamation with Governor Joe Manchin on August 15th starting at 10 A.M. The State Outreach and Breastfeeding Coordinator’s are setting up a booth/banner as well as providing educational material for the Lewisburg State Fair on August 20th from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M.

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin proclaims August 2005 "Breastfeeding Month"  Click Here for photo and to view the proclamation.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the West Virginia "A Child's Right To Nurse Act."