Breastfeeding
Grays Harbor County Public Health & Social Services Department
Home > Breastfeeding
Help is available for breast/chestfeeding mothers.
We can answer questions and provide support for breastfeeding mothers.
WIC participants have access to two International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) and a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor.
Carmela Lopez, IBCLC is available for in-person and phone appointments for clients that speak English and Spanish.
Kimberly McLaury, IBCLC is available for in-person visits, by appointment.
Mina Fontenelle is a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor and is available for phone appointments to support breastfeeding parents and answer breastfeeding questions.
What are some of the health benefits of breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding protects babies from infections and illnesses, including diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia.
Breastfed babies are less likely to develop asthma.
Children who are breastfed for six months are less likely to become obese.
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Mothers who breastfeed have a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
Information for Parents and Families
Breastfeeding Handouts (in progress)
Meet Your Breastfeeding Peer Counselor!
Hello Grays Harbor Community,
My name is Mina Fontenelle and I am the WIC Peer Breast/Body/Chestfeeding Counselor for Grays Harbor County Public Health. I am excited to meet and welcome you to our platform. We hope to provide our community with the support and tools to better your breast/body/chestfeeding journey.
I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, just a few hours away from the Harbor. I have been living in the area since 2014 and appreciate the diverse activities the Harbor has to offer. I started my breastfeeding story with the birth of my daughter in April of 2020. It was a challenging time to give birth and I struggled with breastfeeding. I hope my personal history and training will help guide you through your own experiences. My focus is to better our community through support, conversations and shared understanding of the power of lactation. Thank you for your time and visiting our website.