Idaho Breastfeeding Coalition

some families, the shift to online spaces has actually opened doors to new ways of engaging with a community, regardless of their physical location. In Idaho, a local Le Leche League leader reports regular engagement with mothers from outside of the state who accidentally connected with a group.

Although there is nothing quite like in-person support for pregnancy preparation, breastfeeding, and parental training or encouragement, organizations across the world are still finding ways to embrace going digital, even as things move, however temporarily, back to in-person support.

Where to Find Support

Peer Support Groups

To address her self doubt and isolation, Southorn asked her husband for his support, but knew she’d need to seek out community too. She connected with other mothers in her circle via social media and texts, which gave her a sense of belonging. “I wasn’t the only one who had questions or struggled with every day aspects of breastfeeding or getting sleep,” she says. Southorn also found an app called “Peanut” that connects users with local moms, through which she formed friendships.

For parents interested in more formal breastfeeding support, there are peer counselors through WIC, as well as groups like La Leche League and Breastfeeding USA, helping to build community and offer advice through peer support. These frequently happen in online spaces too. Professional Service Providers

For mental health support, there are a variety of counselors offering services online, including sites like Better Help and Talk Space, which offer many providers in one place and operate quickly.

For breastfeeding issues, private practice lactation support professionals are excellent resources for families, and often meet clients online or in small, private settings. They maintain relationships with a variety of professionals who support breastfeeding through things like chiropractic care, craniosacral therapy, and even massage, and connect parents to resources that fit their needs.

Local hospitals also offer a variety of services, including prenatal breastfeeding and childbirth education, in person outpatient location services, online free weekly parenting support groups, on and offline. To learn more, contact your local hospital.

Organizations like Postpartum Support International and Maternal Mental Health Now seek to connect users with local resources, host online support groups, and host a variety of online resources for struggling parents. A simple internet search for “postpartum support” can also help connect you to resources in your area.

If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Additional Resources

The Idaho Breastfeeding Coalition is a nonprofit 501c3 who strives to establish breastfeeding as a biological norm for a healthier Idaho by working in five focus areas (legislative, breastfeeding research, coalition support for breastfeeding as a norm, community outreach and education, and support of national initiatives). In support of breastfeeding families, we have developed a robust bank of resources, listed by Idaho Health Department District, on www.idahobreastfeeding.org/ community-resources. Please let us know if there’s something we can do to support you.

1Koleilat, M., Whaley, S. E., & Clapp, C. (2022). The Impact of COVID-19 on Breastfeeding Rates in a Low-Income Population. Breastfeeding medicine : the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, 17(1), 33–37. https://doi.org/10.1089/ bfm.2021.0238

Heather Hamilton-Post is a passionate advocate for breastfeeding after embarking upon very different breastfeeding relationships with each of her children. She holds a degree in Agricultural Communications from University of Idaho and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from University of Arizona. A lifelong Idahoan, she now works as a writer and editor in Caldwell.

A Birthday Box of Books

by Kristin Ludwig, Director of Development, North Idaho CASA

While child protective caseloads are down, the CASAs of Bonner County have been busy establishing new outreach programs that directly impact foster kids and their families.

Most people know that CASA helps children overcome the trauma they have experienced through abuse or neglect. Whether reunification with the biological family or adoption into a new family is the result, CASA also provides tools for healthy living to the whole family. Through Project Permanency, CASA works to support family connections, aid in the process of releasing shame and helps to build stable relationships. We are rooting for successful reunification for all of our families.

This project is bigger than us. In addition to breaking the cycle of abuse, we strive to provide encouragement and pride for families trapped in situational or generational poverty. Poverty can make people feel deficient. Poverty impacts motivation, expectations, learning relationships and communication. We

empower individuals to thrive rather that survive.

Envision the pride instilled in a parent who can provide a bed for a child who usually sleeps on the floor, or new clothes to a child who has only worn hand-medowns. Partnering with these families helps set parents up for loving success.

COVID opened our eyes to other needs within our CASA families. We call these COVID Keepers. And, we are happy to report: these programs are here to stay. So many of our kiddos fall behind in school because of truancy, trauma, or behavioral issues in the classroom. Pam and Rick Lohman, education advocates and supporters of CASA, gifted us with an annual donation of $3500 for 10 years in honor of their 35th wedding anniversary. The CASA Learning Lab is available to any school aged child in the foster care system. We partner with schools, teachers, and retired teachers to tutor kids who have fallen behind. So much of a young child’s selfconfidence is determined by their success in the classroom. Every child deserves to feel proud when they can read their site words or get an A on their spelling test.

CASA has recently teamed up with Summit Northwest Ministries for our new Birthday Books program. Over the last three years we have partnered with Bonnie the Book Lady and Usbourne Books for the holiday season. This year, her donation resulted in 350 book packs for foster kids.