Breastfeeding Myth-Busters!

There is a lot of information going around about breastfeeding these days.  Some of that information is true, while some of it is false.  This post hopes to correct some of those things you may have heard about breastfeeding that are actually not true!

Myth #1:  My mom wasn't able to breastfeed, so I won't be able to either.

BUSTED! Breastfeeding has NOTHING to do with genetics!  Every woman should be able to breastfeed!

Myth #2:  Breastfeeding HURTS, and that is normal.

BUSTED!  Breastfeeding is not supposed to hurt!  If you are having pain while breastfeeding, it is probably just a latch issue.  This can be easily fixed with help from a lactation consultant or your peer counselor.  If you continue to have pain even after fixing the baby's latch, you should call your doctor.



Myth #3:  I need to drink lots of milk or water to keep my milk supply up.
BUSTED!  Your milk supply is not affected at all by what you eat or drink.  Breastfeeding works based on supply and demand, so the only way to increase your milk supply is to breastfeed more!

Myth #4:  Formula feeding is WAY more convenient than breastfeeding.

BUSTED!  Breastmilk is with you wherever you go!  It is always the perfect temperature and the perfect mixture for your baby.  You don't have to worry about boiling water, mixing up formula, or bringing all those bottles with you.  You are always ready to breastfeed!

Myth #5: If I get sick, I should stop breastfeeding my baby until I feel better.
BUSTED! For almost every illness, it is fine to continue breastfeeding. Your baby will actually benefit from that breastmilk because she will receive all of the antibodies that you make while you are sick. Check with your doctor to be on the safe side.

Myth #6:  Breastfeeding will make my breasts ugly!

BUSTED!  Any changes that happen to the breast after having a baby are because of the pregnancy itself, and have nothing to do with breastfeeding.

Myth #7:  If I smoke, I shouldn't breastfeed.
BUSTED!  If you are going to smoke, it is BETTER to breastfeed than to formula feed. 

Myth #8: I can't breastfeed if my breasts are small/large/different sizes/etc.                                                                      BUSTED! It doesn't matter what your breasts look like! Your body will produce the same amount of milk no matter what size your breasts are.                                                                                           

Myth #6: Formula satisfies my baby's appetite better than breastmilk.
BUSTED! Formula is harder for your baby's tummy to digest, so she might not have to eat as often if she eats formula. Breastmilk is digested quickly because it is very easy on your baby's tummy, so she will probably be hungry again faster if she eats breastmilk. This is a good thing! It doesn't mean she is more satisfied with the formula. Breastmilk causes less constipation and upset stomach because it is so easy for babies to digest.

Myth #10: I can't make enough milk for my baby.
BUSTED!  Most women are able to produce more than enough milk for their babies.  Most babies that gain too slowly, or lose weight, do so not because the mother does not have enough milk, but because the baby does not get the milk that the mother has.  This usually happens when the baby is poorly latched to the breast, which can be fixed very quickly and easily.  If you are having this problem, please call your WIC peer counselor and she will be happy to help you!

-Sarah Robertson, Nutritionist and Breastfeeding Coordiator

Bye Bye MyPyramid

Earlier this month, the USDA revised their dietary guidelines for Americans and said "bye-bye" to that food pyramid we have all been learning about. The new guideline for healthy eating looks like this:

The main message of this image is to fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. That can sound a little scary to those who are trying to feed their families on a budget. If you are really struggling with getting enough food to eat (or safe food to eat), then this plate guideline is not going to make much sense to you until you feel comfortable that you and your family will be fed adequately. MyPlate is a good goal for most Americans to shoot for, however. And if it looks intimidating to you, take baby steps:

• Start having family meals like the "old days". Instead of eating on the run, in the car, or in front of the TV, eat at the table as a family as much as possible. Start by having what you are eating now, just at regular meal times.



• For more advanced meal planners, make sure each meal has at least one fruit or vegetable. Remember that canned, frozen, and dried fruits and vegetables count, too!
  


• Serve milk with meals to drink instead of other beverages (especially if you have children!)



• Consider decreasing the amount of meat you use
  


• If you are ready, fill half your plates with fruits and vegetables.

For more information on the new dietary guidelines, check out http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

-Allison Leonard RD

Free Family Fun

There are tons of fun things to do as a family and you don't have to go far to find them.

Second Saturdays at the Museum

Storytime at your local library

• Caroline



• Fredericksburg: Headquarters (Caroline St), England Run, Salem Church



• King George



• Stafford



• Spotsylvania

If you live in the City of Fredericksburg check out the Dixon Pool.

If you are in King George head to the King George Middle School track field for Free Friday Flicks all summer long.

Don't have time to plan an outing? You can stay inside and play with blocks, toys, or dress up clothes. With the nice warm weather you may want to go outside to play with hula hoops, beach balls, jump ropes, or just your imagination.

No matter where you go, there is fun to be had as a family.

Where in the World is WIC?

Aside from your local Health Department, WIC is out and about in the community at meetings, trainings and community events. Here are some of events around the Rappahannock where WIC will be distributing program and nutritional information and maybe some cool prizes!

• Tuesdays in June and September: Picnic in the Park hosted by Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation. 11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m. at Riverfront Park on Caroline Street, downtown Fredericksburg.

• Wednesdays: Fredericksburg Area Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry (various locations and times)

• Saturday June 18th: Caroline County Family Day of Fitness, 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at the Community Services Center, 17202 Richmond Turnpike, Bowling Green

• Saturday June 25th: Rappahannock Regional Juneteenth Celebration, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at Aquia Landing Park, 2846 Brooke Road, Stafford

Also look for us at the Fredericksburg City, King George County and Spotsylvania County Farmer's Markets!

If you know of an event WIC should attend, let us know! Our Community Outreach team is always looking for more ways to teach the community about our program, email annethorsen.wic@gmail.com

WIC goes to Market!

This past weekend WIC visited the Spotsylvania Farmer's Market where we had a chance to mingle with local farmers and food crafters who bring their finest fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, baked goods and plants out to the commuter lot at Gordon Road and Rte. 3. What a great day!

Spotsylvania has the largest Farmer's Market in the region and this year they have added the ability to accept SNAP benefits! Simply take your SNAP EBT card to the Market Manager's stand and choose a dollar amount to exchange for tokens which can be used at any of the farm stands just like cash!

We also met a local Doctor who started her own website to push fresh fruits and veggies with kid-friendly (and kid tested!) easy and unique recipes. Get some fresh ideas from Doctor Yum!

WIC is out and about in the community all the time, so check our Upcoming Events tab on the left to see where you can find us next!

Tasty snacks and meals using WIC foods!!

With all this talk about fruits and veggies, I have found some delicious recipes for some snacks and meals that include fruits and veggies! So if you or your child are not big fans of either, here are some creative ways to eat them! (Oh and the best part is....all the recipes include WIC foods!)

Homemade Salsa

1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 tbsp. jalapeno peppers, chopped

2 tbsp. lime juice

2 cloves fresh garlic, finely diced

Enjoy with your favorite whole grain or baked tortilla chips!

Berry Pops Recipe:

Pick your favorite liquid juice (apple, orange, grape, etc)

Pour juice into 6oz. paper cups (feel free to add fresh or frozen berries into the juice) and cover each cup with aluminum foil

Place cups on a cookie sheet and insert popsicle stick in each cup by making a slit in the aluminum foil
Place the cookie sheet into the freezer and freeze until hard
Peel away paper and enjoy on those hot summer days!

Fruit Salad Cones Recipe:

Combine:
1 large banana, sliced

1/2 15 oz can mandarin oranges, drained

1/4 cup mini marshmallows

1/2 20 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained

1 cup sliced strawberries

3/4 cup low-fat or fat-free lemon or vanilla yogurt

Combine the above mixture and divide into 6 ice cream cones

ENJOY this perfect little after dinner treat!

Who doesn't like smoothies??!!

Strawberry Smoothie Recipe:

1 1/2 cups of frozen strawberries

1 cup frozen pineapple chunks (or canned, drained)

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups of any yogurt (low-fat or fat-free strawberry, vanilla, etc)

1 cup of crushed ice

Enjoy this for any meal or snack! Even dessert!

And for those occasional rainy days, enjoy this delicious and hearty soup. Add some fresh whole grain bread or a crisp salad!

Hearty Chicken, Rice and Bean Soup Recipe:

1 med. onion, chopped

1 cup sliced carrots

1/2 med. red pepper, chopped

4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup low-sodium salsa

15 oz. cooked black beans

15 oz. cooked white beans

2 cups of brown rice

2 cups cooked white meat chicken

Prep: Heat a tsp of oil in pan on medium heat. Saute onions, carrots and pepper for 3-4 mins. Add chicken broth, salsa, and beans. Bring to a boil, then cover for 5 mins. Stir chicken and cook for 2 mins, until chicken is heated through.

Serves 8

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Per serving: Calories 243, Calories from Fat 26, Total Fat 2.9g (sat 0.8g), Cholesterol 31 mg, Sodium 275mg, Carbs 36.1g, Fiber 7.1g, Protein 18.2g

Breakfast Omelet with Bell Peppers Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, diced

1 tbsp olive oil (any oil works)

4 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)

Prep:Saute the onion in olive oil for 3-5 mins, add bell peppers and cook for another minute or two. Add the onions and peppers to the beaten eggs and combine well. In a large skillet or frying pan, heat the butter and pour in egg mixture. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper and garlic powder. Allow to cook until the bottom of the eggs are lightly golden brown. Either flip or fold in half and allow to cook for a few more mins.

Garnish with a little cheese for added flavor!

Use your SNAP benefits at your local Farmers Market

With all this talk about fruits and vegetables recently, WIC clients should know that SNAP benefits can be used at three Farmers Markets in the area. You may use your SNAP EBT card for tokens to spend on great fresh food and the program will even give you an additional $10 per week worth of FREE bonus tokens! This is a great way to stretch your food money and get great tasting and healthy food for your family.

Check out http://www.thefarmersmarket.co/ for more information!

Some recent changes in the grocery stores!

As some of you may be noticing, some brand changes have taken place in a few of our local grocery stores. Here is a quick run down of the changes. Be on the lookout during your shopping trips if any of these stores are ones you enjoy shopping at!

Food Lion/ Bottom Dollar/ Bloom have changed their milk brand from Smart Options/ Food Lion to "My Essentials"

Shoppers will be changing their "WIC Designated" brand from Richfood to "Everyday Essentials". This includes breakfast cereals, frozen juices and liquid juices.

Farm Fresh stores will be changing their "WIC Designated" brand from Richfood to "Everyday Essentials". This includes breakfast cereals, frozen juices and liquid juices. (Farm Fresh stores and Shoppers are owned by the same corporation)

Giant Food Stores will be changing their "WIC Designated" brand from the word "Giant" to bird like symbol. This change affects all products.

None of these changes will affect your WIC checks, just new brand changes to be on the lookout for when shopping!

Feel free to call your local WIC office with any questions regarding these changes!

-Christy Redmond

Nutritionist

Fabulous Fruits and Vegetables part 2!

In my previous post, we talked about enjoying fruits and vegetables. But what if you cannot get your child to eat fruits or vegetables? You are not alone if you worry about this. Our WIC nutritionists hear this concern from parents all the time.

Parents realize their children should be eating fruits and vegetables, but the children are simply not interested. Some children won't eat fruit. Some children won't eat vegetables. And some children refuse both!

I would like to tell you that the first thing you have to do as a parent is relax. Most children will eat one or the other, and if that is the case they are not missing out on any major nutrition (both fruits and vegetables provide fiber, vitamins A and C, and antioxidants).

Are you pressuring your child to eat fruits or vegetables? Pressure can make matters worse! Even bribing with a toy or a dessert is still pressure. It makes the child think, "If they have to do all that to get me to eat this, it can't be good!"

Some celebrities, doctors, and even nutritionists recommend "hiding" fruits or vegetables in food by pureeing them and mixing it in. What happens when your child is old enough to find out? If this stuff is so nasty that you have to "hide" it to get your child to eat it, what do you think will happen when it comes to the child choosing fruits and vegetables to eat on their own? It won't happen. The child never learns to like fruits and vegetables.

Here is the easy part: All that you as a parent have to do is provide fruits and vegetables for your child. That is it. You do not have to force them to eat it if they do not want to (and doing so can turn them off of fruits or vegetables for a very long time!).

The parent is in charge of providing the child 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day. We recommend to sit your child or toddler down to eat around the same times everyday (every 2-3 hours). We recommend that you or another responsible adult eat with the child, not just feed them. If you want your child to eat fruits and vegetables, then serve fruits and vegetables! Serve less liked foods or new foods with well liked foods. Let the child see you enjoying your foods and be pleasant at the table (no yelling, pressuring, or fighting please). That is all you have to do. The child will handle the rest. They will decide how much to eat and whether they are going to eat a certain food or not (if this sounds strangely bizarre to you, please check out Ellyn Satter for more info)

Remember that all children "sneak up" on new foods. They might look at a food but won't touch it. The next time they might touch it (and maybe smear it all over themselves!). The next time they might put it in their mouth but then take it out. The next time the might eat it! This is normal behavior. Do not assume that your child will not eat something if you have only tried it once. It can take 10, 15, or 20 times of being exposed to a new food before a young one will accept it.

Also, don't expect your child to eat something simply because "it is good for you". Children do not work like that. They eat what they think tastes good. Period. So make your fruits and vegetables taste good! Remember, some fruits and vegetables taste good all on their own and for others, it is ok to add dressing, butter, seasonings, and sauces to stronger tasting vegetables (like broccoli, greens, brussel sprouts).

-Allison Leonard RD

Fabulous Fruits and Vegetables

Right now in Virginia we are entering the best time of the year for fresh fruits and vegetables! Many of our favorite fruits and vegetables are at their cheapest and most flavorful in the summertime. You may even be lucky enough to have a farmer's market nearby where you can get the freshest, cheapest produce!

Nutritionists always talk about the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. But I want you to eat fruits and vegetables because they taste good, not because they are good for you! Some fruits and vegetables taste good all on their own (I love cherries, peaches, and tomatoes all by themselves) Others need a little help to taste good to us. Don't be afraid to add a little butter, salt, salad dressings, seasonings, etc to your favorite fruits or vegetables. There is no virtue in forcing yourself to eat something you don't like because it is "good for you". People who force themselves to eat food they don't like end up eating less healthy foods (strange, isn't it?!)

How do plain carrot sticks sound? What about plain steamed broccoli and cauliflower? How about boiled greens? Not very appealing, huh?

How do carrot sticks with ranch dressing sound? How about broccoli and cauliflower with cheese sauce? What about steamed greens with garlic, olive oil, and lemon? You and your family will eat more fruits and vegetables if you actually enjoy eating them!

"But what if my child does not like fruits and vegetables?!" We hear this all the time, believe me. Stay tuned for suggestions for increasing your child's fruit and vegetable intake.

- Allison Leonard RD

Above photo is from freefoto.com