Page 5

5 | P a g e

Connecticut’s pilot program, WIC Peer Counseling: Providing Loving Support for Breastfeeding Success has been up and running since March 2011. An IBCLC consultant was hired to provide technical assistance to both the State and local agencies and to provide training to WIC peer counselors. Since 2011 peer counseling was expanded to other local agencies: Optimus (Bridgeport 2016), East Hartford (2019), Waterbury (non-WIC funded peers-now part of Bridgeport since 2020), DKH (restored funding in 2021), Meriden (2021) Hartford (2021), Bristol New Britain/Torrington (2023). Connecticut provides peer counseling funds to seven (7) WIC programs (Bristol/Meriden merged 2024)

LATCH Study: Research partners have applied for NIH funding to expand the LATCH study to LATCH 2.0.

The YNHH (currently New Haven WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program) and HHC BHP programs and the two WIC clinic-based Breastfeeding Peer Counseling programs (Fair Haven and TVCCA) participated in the expanded LATCH (LATCH Lactation Advice thru Texting Can Help) study that concluded in FY 2016. This study was funded through the USDA Center for Collaborative Research on WIC Nutrition Education Innovations at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine (CNRC WIC Center). It builds on the LATCH pilot project and will examine the effectiveness of using texting to provide enhanced support through peer counselors. We’ve included a listing of published research.

In 2019, the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior selected Impact of the Lactation Advice through Texting Can Help (LATCH) Trial on Time-to-First-Contact and Exclusive Breastfeeding among WIC Participants by the journal’s readership as one of the top three publications of the year.

LATCH results showed 50% of moms exclusively breastfeeding at 2 weeks in the intervention arm versus 31.8% in the control arm. The study was underpowered to determine if this was statistically significant. Participants had high satisfaction with the texting they received. The study showed shortened first time contact with a Peer Counselor after delivery. Timely notification is critical for WIC participants to receive personalized breastfeeding support and education from a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor.

Published in FY 2018, Martinez, J.L., Harari, N., Segura-Pérez-S., Goeschel, L., Bozzi, V., Pérez-Escamilla, R. (2017). Impact of the Lactation Advice through Texting Can Help (LATCH) Trial on Time-to-First-Contact and Exclusive Breastfeeding among WIC Participants. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. Vol 50: 33-42

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Text Message Intervention Used as an Adjunct Tool by WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselors: the LATCH pilot to Maternal & Child Nutrition.