Hi everyone, my name is Nicole Cullen. I am completing my rotations in the greater Denver, CO area in the distance master’s program. I have spent the past couple of weeks at the Jefferson County WIC location, and it has been such a rewarding experience. During my time so far, I have learned about the public health resources that are offered, such as: breast pumps, breastfeeding peer counselors, Internationally Board Certified Lactation Counselors (IBCLC), Health Care program for Children with Special Needs (HCP), Early Intervention, Metro Community Provider Network (MCPN), Nurse-Family Partnership, Prenatal Plus, Colorado’s Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Kinship Relative Care, Child Care Assistance Program, United way 2-1-1, Baby and Me, and Tobacco Free. I was astounded by the number of resources available, and am so grateful that I know now so that I can share them with future patients or clients of mine.
The first week of my rotation with WIC was spent shadowing both WIC educators and WIC dietitians. It has been interesting to witness the different styles of doing the assessment and using the Nutrition Care Process. Even though styles differed, I noticed that each person I shadowed used motivational interviewing and empathy during their appointments. I think that this is critically important in this setting because it is common for mothers to feel uncertain about what to expect for their children’s development and eating preferences.
Going into my rotation I think I underestimated just how challenging it can be for mothers to breastfeed. So far I have heard that the baby couldn’t latch, the mother’s letdown was inadequate, the mother was experiencing pain or engorgement of her breast(s), the mother had to return to work or school, etc. Any number of things can act as a barrier to breastfeeding, but what was so wonderful about the educators and dietitians was that they really explained why breastfeeding is preferred and offered guidance and aid to help the mothers succeed.
It is fair to say that this has been my favorite part of the internship thus far, and I want to encourage everyone to try to have a WIC experience during the internship!
The first week of my rotation with WIC was spent shadowing both WIC educators and WIC dietitians. It has been interesting to witness the different styles of doing the assessment and using the Nutrition Care Process. Even though styles differed, I noticed that each person I shadowed used motivational interviewing and empathy during their appointments. I think that this is critically important in this setting because it is common for mothers to feel uncertain about what to expect for their children’s development and eating preferences.
Going into my rotation I think I underestimated just how challenging it can be for mothers to breastfeed. So far I have heard that the baby couldn’t latch, the mother’s letdown was inadequate, the mother was experiencing pain or engorgement of her breast(s), the mother had to return to work or school, etc. Any number of things can act as a barrier to breastfeeding, but what was so wonderful about the educators and dietitians was that they really explained why breastfeeding is preferred and offered guidance and aid to help the mothers succeed.
It is fair to say that this has been my favorite part of the internship thus far, and I want to encourage everyone to try to have a WIC experience during the internship!
