What You Need to Know About Protective Face Masks
There's growing evidence that masks help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Committing to wearing a mask out in the world all the time, though, can also raise some questions. Read here to get some of those questions answered!
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House Appropriations Advances FY 2021 WIC Funding
Last week, the House Appropriations Committee approvedthe USDA spending bill for fiscal year 2021, and it is expected to be on the House floor for vote before the August recess. The bill funds WIC at $5.75 billion for FY 2021, a $250 million decrease from FY 2020 levels, but WIC received $500 million in additional funding through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, and the House has proposed $1.6 billion in WIC funding in the HEROES Act as well. The House bill continues last year's $90 million allocation for the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor program, which NWA had championed. The Senate has not taken up appropriations bills yet, as they craftingan additional COVID relief package.
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WIC Waiver Advocacy Needed
We collectively need to voice the need for Congress to grant USDA the authority to extend the waivers through Sept. 2021. WIC agencies have quickly adapted to keep staff and participants safe and ensured efficient delivery of food benefits and support. COVID cases are not declining and many unknowns are ahead of us in the coming year including school openings, flu and cold season, business closures and more. National WIC Association has provided an op-ed template to post in your local paper in support of the waivers. Community press is important to our CA decision makers. Please reach out to your local paper to request they post this op-ed. Need help? Ask Sarah at CWA. We can also provide informational materials for the local impact of the WIC food package. Also available to assist is Noora Kanfash, NWA's State Public Policy Associate, at nkanfash@nwica.org.
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Pediatricians Revise Position on School Re-Opening
The AAP has issued a new statement calling on schools to follow the best evidence-based guidance from public health officials when determining how and when to re-open for on-campus instruction, and calling on the Trump Administration and Congress to ensure adequate funding to support the safety of school children. The statement comes just a few weeks after their call which advocated more strongly for schools to re-open to on-campus learning, and follows threats from the White House and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to restrict funds for public K-12 schools that do not reopen for in-person classes in fall 2020.
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Online Food Ordering Report Released
In April, SNAP participants in CA were able to
order their food online
. The COVID pandemic has magnified the need for this option for WIC participants, who are pregnant or with their infants and children in tow shopping in crowded stores and often using public transportation. The NWA workgroup has produced the first of 3 papers related to online food ordering. Here is the information as posted in the NWA Monday Morning Report:
The
WIC Pickup and Delivery Requirements
document outlines potential processes and requirements for a phased approach to online ordering in WIC that ends with intelligent ordering with online purchasing. The document first describes the current state of eWIC, then clarifies the differences between SNAP and WIC when it comes to online ordering, and finally outlines the technical requirements associated with what the authors term "Phase I", a Non-Intelligent Remote Order.
This is the first in a series, which will include three additional phases: Phase II: Intelligent Online Ordering; Phase III: Intelligent Order with Online Payment; and Phase IV: Smartcard. The document was developed by a subgroup of NWA's Online Ordering, Curbside Pickup, and Home Delivery WIC COVID-19 Working Group led by representatives from Giant Eagle and including representatives from General Mills, Gerber, CDP; eGPC, Minnesota WIC, Massachusetts WIC, Colorado WIC, Share Our Strength, Walmart, NTT Data, and FIS Global.
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Dr. Sayida Peprah
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Empowered Young Families Unite, Inspire, Uplift!
We look forward to seeing our colleagues and partners Aug. 24-28 for a week of learning and sharing as we focus on Uniting, Inspiring and Uplifting to Empower Young Families. Each thematic day, Mon-Fri will focus on uncomfortable realities and promising strategies to ensure young families have a bright future. The 5-day event will cover nutrition, breastfeeding and early feeding, leadership and management, and wellness. You can tune in on
Tuesday, August 25th, to hear Dr. Sayida Peprah,
Clinical Psychologist and Doula
,
focus on increasing cultural sensitivity regarding the impacts of racism and historical trauma on maternal mental health and breastfeeding in the African American community.
Participants can engage with vendors in their virtual booths, live chat and in meetings. The conference platform is user friendly and CWA provides FAQs and tips for being ready and relaxed to join sessions. Like all CWA events, twice wellness activities will get you off your bum! For the
agenda
, FAQs on attending a virtual conference, or to register
check here
.
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Webinar Opportunities
The Baby-Led Approach to Feeding: What Does the Research Say?
An emerging body of research supports a baby-led approach to feeding as a safe and efficacious way to start solid foods. In this presentation, Katie Ferraro, RD and mother of 7 children, will share the current research into baby self-feeding as it pertains to growth and development, prevention of picky eating, acquisition of essential nutrients from foods, choking risk and achieving developmental milestones. July 16
Register now
.
Supporting Responsive Feeding Using Baby Behavior
Feeding can be one of the biggest challenges for parents of toddlers. In this session, Dr. Heinig will describe developmental reasons for many of the most frustrating toddler behaviors that may lead to non-responsive feeding practices. Attendees will also learn how extending the Baby Behavior curriculum to older infants and toddlers can be a positive way to promote responsive feeding during the toddler years. July 22
Register now
. Presented as part of the California Pediatric Obesity Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network in partnership with CDPH/MCAH, WIC and Obesity Prevention, and California Breastfeeding Coalition. CE units are available for the live webinars.
Farmers' Markets Adopt WIC Technology and Stand Up to COVID
Farmers' markets are a WIC shopping option for fruits and vegetables, not only for the seasonal Farmers' Market Nutrition Program checks, but also with the new WIC debit card. Join us to hear from CA state WIC staff about how farmers' markets are adopting technology for WIC purchases. Despite the challenges COVID-19 has brought for shopping especially for farmers' markets and WIC shoppers, San Francisco WIC will describe a novel partnership between local farmers' Markets, Care.org and the gig economy company- DoorDash to provide surge workforce to distribute Farmers' Market Produce Boxes to San Francisco WIC families.
Register Now.
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COVID Resources - Adapting to the Need
In this endurance phase of Wave 1, resource sharing helps everyone. CWA continues to update our COVID-19 Resources for the many needs of local agencies, participants and staff. Faced with COVID+ staff or a need to open to the public? Wondering about managing your children again this school year while you work? Check out the CWA COVID resources.
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Home Census Visits
The US Census announced it will begin home visits to select areas of the US, none yet in CA, to assist with census completion. Census takers are hired from the local community. If no one is home, they leave information on how to complete the census by phone, mail or on-line. This census they will be trained in social distancing protocols and are required to wear masks. Looking to refresh your census messages? CWA provides messages and aids to assist with completion while there is time left.
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Living Close to Nature Benefits Gut Bacteria of Formula-Fed Infants
Living close to nature can mitigate some of the changes in infant gut bacteria associated with formula feeding, according to new research published in the journal Environment International. The researchers examined fecal samples taken during routine home visits from 355 four-month-old infants who are part of the CHILD Cohort Study, and cross-referenced the infants' postal codes with maps of natural green spaces in their cities, including natural forest, grasslands, wetlands, lakes, rivers and ravines. Infants who lived within 500 meters of a natural environment were less likely to have higher diversity in their gut bacteria, according to researchers, which is closer to infants who are exclusively breastfed and have less diverse gut bacteria than infants who are formula-fed. The results applied only to infants living close to natural spaces, regardless of whether there was a human-made park in the neighborhood. Researchers say the next step for this research will be to follow the formula-fed infants who are exposed to natural areas throughout childhood and track the impact on their health.
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32% of the U.S. Missed July Housing Payments
Nearly one-third of U.S. households were not able to pay their full housing payments for July, according to a survey by Apartment List. That's the fourth month in a row that a "historically high" number of households were unable to pay their housing bill on time and in full, up from 30% in June and 31% in May. Renters, low-income and younger households were most likely to miss their payment. About 36% of renters, who are more likely to work in industries devastated by the coronavirus, missed their July housing bill, compared to 30% of homeowners. The federal eviction moratorium, which covers around one-fourth of renters in the U.S., put in place at the beginning of the pandemic has been extended to the end of August. But many people are still worried about an imminent wave of evictions across the country, as tenant protections vary greatly depending on the state and even city.
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C-Sections Make Subsequent Conceptions Less Likely
Women who deliver their first child by cesarean section (C-section) are less likely to conceive a second child than those who deliver vaginally, despite being just as likely to plan a subsequent pregnancy. Researchers analyzed data from 2,021 women between the ages of 18 and 35 who provided data on unprotected intercourse and resulting conceptions for three years after their first birth. Nearly 600 of those women delivered their first child by C-section. Approximately 69% of women who delivered by C-section conceived after unprotected intercourse compared to approximately 78% of women who delivered vaginally. Women who delivered by C-section also had a reduced likelihood of a live birth. The association remained after researchers accounted for maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, time to conception of the first child, gestational weight gain, prior induced abortions, diabetes, hypertension, hospitalization during pregnancy and other factors.
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CDC Maternity Care Report Released
Since 2007 maternity care, related to breastfeeding, has been reported upon in the Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care Report (
mPINC
) by the CDC, providing useful data for improving policies and practices. The most recent report with 2018 data is released with an interactive map for quick comparison and snapshots for states and territories. The 2018 survey was updated from earlier surveys to reflect changes in maternity care over the preceding decade. Along with the CA Hospital Breastfeeding Reports, CDPH hospital breastfeeding initiation data and the Maternal Infant Health Assessment (MIHA), we are fortunate to be able to gauge CA's maternity care improvement, including some parameters of health equity which must be a priority.
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International Board of LC Examiners COVID-19 Resource Center
Due to the unique circumstances of COVID-19 and the rapid pace at which updates are needed regarding IBCLC certification, IBLCE has created this COVID-19 Resource Center. Please check back regularly for updates as IBLCE will post a status of any updates weekly.
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Gov. Newsom Launches "Wear a Mask" Campaign
On July 2nd, ahead of the holiday weekend, Governor Newsom announced the "Wear A Mask" public awareness campaign encouraging Californians to use face coverings - one of the best ways people can protect themselves and others from the virus. The campaign is taking an aggressive approach to slowing the spread of COVID-19, which will save lives and allow the state to reopen the economy. The campaign, which will continue until at least the end of the year, kicked off in English and Spanish and will expand into other languages later this month. In the coming weeks, the campaign increasingly will focus on those who have been disproportionately harmed by this pandemic, particularly California's Black and Latinx communities. Messages will be translated into seven languages and delivered by trusted messengers. In addition, the Listos California emergency preparedness campaign will be supporting paid media efforts and bolstering community engagement efforts.
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