WVU Medicine Children’s and Mon County WIC partner to assist new moms

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU Medicine Children’s and Monongalia County Health Department (MCHD) Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) are partnering to ensure the healthcare needs of new moms and babies are met and to set the new family up for success.  

“We realize that the excitement of a new baby can overshadow just about everything else as moms adjust to new sleeping schedules, feeding schedules, and life with a newborn,” Mary Fanning, D.N.P., R.N., F.R.E., N.E.A.-B.C., vice president of nursing clinical services at WVU Medicine Children’s, said. “We’re hoping this partnership will help ensure the healthcare needs, including preventive healthcare needs, of both mom and baby are being met.”

WIC provides nutrition, breastfeeding support, health education, and other services free of charge to pregnant women, mothers, infants, and children up to the age of 5 who qualify. WIC teaches moms what to eat while pregnant or breastfeeding and what to feed their growing children. Services also include access to an app 24/7 that connects participants with breastfeeding support as well as free breastfeeding classes.

Twice per week – on Tuesdays and Fridays – a representative from WIC will come to the WVU Medicine Children’s Birthing Center to start the process of registering eligible mothers and babies for resources and services.

“WIC wants to make our services easily accessible,” Cami Haught, M.A., R.D., L.D., C.L.C., program manager at MCHD WIC, said. “When eligible patients are discharged, they can go across the hall, give us 20-30 minutes, and they will have full benefits when they leave the hospital. Then, they can stop at the store and purchase food and formula.”

Monongalia County WIC serves Monongalia, Preston, Marion, Harrison, Doddridge, and Taylor counties. Call WIC at 1-800-675-5181 or in Monongalia County at 304-598-5181.

For more information on WVU Medicine Children’s, visit WVUKids.com. 

Media Inquiries:
Angela S. Jones, WVU Health System Corporate Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs, 304-285-7259, Angela.Jones1@WVUMedicine.org  
MaryWade Burnside, Monongalia County Health Department Public Information Officer, 304-598-5152, MaryWade.Burnside@wv.gov