SUPPORT GROUPS FOR BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS IN PINELLAS 

The Florida Department of Health (DOH-Pinellas) in Pinellas County’s Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program has support groups at two locations for pregnant women and moms who are breastfeeding or are interested in breastfeeding. Mothers and babies are welcome, regardless of whether they’re WIC clients.

These are the locations of the WIC breastfeeding support groups:

• DOH-Pinellas at the Mid-County center, 8751 Ulmerton Rd., Largo. Groups meet on the second Tuesday of the month from 10 AM to noon. (The next meeting is on Nov. 10.) Tampa Bay Baby Wearing facilitates the meeting, which also encourages mothers to learn about slings and carriers they can wear to keep baby close.
• DOH-Pinellas at the Pinellas Park center, 6350 76th Ave., N. This group meets on the fourth Thursday of the month from 11 AM to noon. (The next meeting is on Oct. 24.)

The groups offer women support and friendship with other breastfeeding moms. Reaching out to other mothers who are breastfeeding is especially helpful for new mothers. More women are opting to breastfeed and many have questions that other women can answer. Many are now becoming the first of a few generations to breastfeed in their families. The WIC groups have facilitators who are comfortable with breastfeeding and can be very helpful in providing information and answering questions.

For information about the DOH-Pinellas WIC breastfeeding groups and meetings, contact WIC Senior Health Educator Grace Peterson at (727) 824-6900, ext. 4675 or via email at Grace.Peterson@FLHealth.gov.

For information about DOH-Pinellas, go to www.PinellasHealth.com.