During the past week two significant studies on breastfeeding in the United States were released.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released statistics on Racial and Ethnic Differences in Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration, by State using data from the National Immunization Survey for the period of 2004 to 2008. The racial differences highlighted in the statistics are profound and widening, but the study also noted statistics for breastfeeding rates based on the mother’s education level, age, WIC eligibility, and state of residence. Overall, it found that 73% of mothers initiate breastfeeding, 42% are still breastfeeding at 6 months (although not necessarily exclusively) and 21% are still breastfeeding at 12 months. As a benchmark, Canadian statistics show a 90% initiation rate and 54% still breastfeeding at 6 months (no 12 month stats are available for Canada).
The other study by Harvard researcher Melissa Bartick, MD, MSc and the Alliance for Prudent Use of Antibiotics Arnold Reinhold, MBA was published online in the American Academy of Pediatrics journal Pediatrics and is called The Burden of Suboptimal Breastfeeding in the United States: A Pediatric Cost Analysis. Their study looked at the cost of low breastfeeding rates and concluded that if 90% of new mothers were able to follow guidelines for six months of exclusive breastfeeding, an estimated 911 deaths could be prevented and $13 billion could be saved (a topic I also addressed last year in my economic cost-benefit analysis of breastfeeding). Please also see Best for Babes excellent analysis of the horrible ABC coverage of the study on the costs of low breastfeeding rates, which featured biased formula company supporting pediatrician Dr. Lillian Beard.
The CDC and Breastfeeding
According to the breastfeeding section of the CDC website:
CDC is committed to increasing breastfeeding rates throughout the United States and to promoting and supporting optimal breastfeeding practices toward the ultimate goal of improving the public’s health.
In order to achieve these goals, CDC utilizes an evidence-based policy and environmental approach to breastfeeding protection, promotion, and support. CDC’s breastfeeding activities cover a wide range, from conducting and supporting research about breastfeeding to evaluating and sharing information about existing strategies to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. CDC also works closely with partners and organizations working to improve breastfeeding across the country.
The CDC website provides a lot of information and resources for mothers and for other organizations wishing to support breastfeeding. For mothers it provides information on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services breastfeeding helpline and on La Leche League. For other organizations, it provides resources for improving breastfeeding interventions at the state and local level, as well as resources for improving maternity care practices in hospitals and birthing centres.
The WIC Program and Breastfeeding
The United States WIC program provides federal grants to States to provide supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-incomce pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk.
Emily from Adventures in [Crunchy] Parenthood wrote a post last year on WIC and infant formula. In her detailed analysis of WIC, infant formula, and breastfeeding, she wrote that:
Under the WIC program, new mothers are eligible to receive vouchers for free infant formula. This answers a lot of questions by those who wonder how low-income mothers are able to afford formula in the first place. While WIC is supposed to provide counseling and support for breastfeeding, I have found this not to be universally available. WIC office policies can vary by state, and even by city. In many cases, a pregnant woman receives counseling in the form of a 20-minute video they will watch some time during their pregnancy, and maybe a phone number to a local lactation consultant. WIC offices usually provide pumps for free, but this is often not advertised – one must ask for it. Once the new baby arrives, unless a mother indicates otherwise, she is issued vouchers for formula.
It is also important to look at where WIC gets its formula and how much it pays for it. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service’s (ERS) study on WIC and the Retail Price of Infant Formula:
Since 1989, State agencies that administer WIC have been required to operate an infant formula rebate program as a means of containing WIC costs. Under the rebate agreement, a WIC State agency receives significant discounts from a formula manufacturer in the form of rebates for each can of infant formula purchased by WIC participants. In exchange, a manufacturer receives the exclusive right to provide its formula products to WIC participants in a State. In fiscal 2000, infant formula rebates nationwide totaled $1.4 billion.
In the ERS study and Emily’s post about WIC, there is a lot more detail about exactly how this works and what the consequences are. Ultimately, while the pre-rebate cost of infant formula for the WIC program in 2005 equaled $2.34 billion (44% of pre-rebate costs), the post-rebate cost to WIC was only $628 million (17% of post-rebate food purchases), for a total annual rebate of $1.71 billion . Infant formula is by far the most heavily rebated food provided through WIC (ref: WIC Food Package Costs and Rebates Summary: Fiscal Year 2005).
Why am I telling you all of this?
Back to the CDC statistical study that I mentioned at the start of the post. It found that breastfeeding rates among women who are on WIC are significantly lower than the rates among women who are not on WIC. At first glance, people might assume that this is simply a case of lower breastfeeding rates among low income women. However, it is more complex than that.
What is most striking about this data is the significant difference between the breastfeeding rates among women who are on WIC (66% initiation, 33% at 6 months, 17% at 12 months) and women who are eligible for WIC, but not using the program (77% initiation, 50% at 6 months, 30% at 12 months). In fact, low income women who are not on WIC have breastfeeding rates that are more comparable to higher income women than they do to their WIC-recipient low-income counterparts. Looking at these stats, combined with information from a recent Canadian study on the impact of free formula samples on breastfeeding rates, it would appear that a good portion 2.22 million infants on WIC in 2009 were being formula fed due to easy access to WIC’s formula vouchers.
Interestingly, the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey, found that the gap in breastfeeding rates among different income levels was not that big (especially when compared with the gap in breastfeeding rates among women with different levels of education or in different age groups). Canadian women who are at or below the low income cut-off had a breastfeeding initiation rate of 88%, with 47% still breastfeeding at 6 months. Women above the low-income cut-off had an initiation rate of 91%, with 56% still breastfeeding at 6 months.
The CDC does mention that one of the limitations of its statistical analysis is that it isn’t always clear which contributing factor leads to the lower breastfeeding rates. For example, Black non-Hispanic women were least likely to breastfeed (only 54% initiate breastfeeding) and if non-Hispanic Black women are more likely than other races to participate in WIC, then it isn’t clear whether it is race or WIC participation that leads to the lower breastfeeding rates. Either way, pushing formula vouchers on these women is not going to solve the problem.
What needs to change?
I understand that low income women need financial support. However, I think anyone who stops to think about it for a moment will realize that subsidizing the cost of formula, while providing lackluster breastfeeding support (which varies from state to state and is better in some places than others), gives moms a damn good reason to formula feed. The more women who are enticed by WIC’s formula handouts, the further the CDC will be from meeting its goals of increasing breastfeeding rates and the further the country will be from saving that $13 billion and 911 lives.
But what should the United States government do instead?
I think that as a minimum, under WIC, it should:
- Offer quality breastfeeding classes for all pregnant moms
- Have a breastfeeding expert conduct a home visit with all WIC recipients to assess how things are going with the new baby and see if any breastfeeding support is required
- Offer free access to lactation consultants (e.g through bi-weekly free drop-ins)
- Offer free access to breast pumps
- Offer 24/7 access to peer breastfeeding counselors, who should ideally be moms of the same race with significant breastfeeding expertise, but not necessarily former WIC recipients themselves (as is currently the case) because the pool of qualified and interested individuals from that group may be too low to find a large enough pool of quality volunteers (thanks to Elita from Blacktating for making that point on twitter recently)
- Provide extra food vouchers to moms who are breastfeeding and not accepting formula vouchers
This type of breastfeeding support should not be optional. The quality should be consistent across the country and state’s should be audited to ensure that they are providing appropriate levels of services as a condition of the grant.
If WIC does offer formula it should do so only when specifically requested by the mom (as opposed to offering it unless it is specifically refused) and it should be in the form of rebates to be used for any brand of formula, rather than entering into a deal with a specific company.
Ultimately, if the point of WIC is to improve the health of low income mothers and babies and if the goal of the CDC is to increase breastfeeding rates in order to improve the health of the nation, all decisions about how WIC’s support to moms and infants is provided should be done with a view to supporting breastfeeding first and foremost, with formula as an option only available upon specific request. These moms do not need to be guilted into breastfeeding, but they should be given all the support in the world to help them be successful.
Note: As a Canadian, I do not have any direct experience with WIC myself, so please correct and/or elaborate on any of my points if they are inaccurate or could be expanded on. What I do, however, have experience with are excellent government run programs that support breastfeeding and that appear to be severely lacking in much of the United States.
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I interviewed to be a breast feeding peer counselor through WIC last fall. I actually got the job but decided not to accept because while it was only 20hrs a week, 10 had to be in office without my son with me. And my husband had just been accepted into grad school. He was going to be my child care. Anyway, while I didn’t actually get to work with them, I will say that they are making strides to improve breast feeding rates. If you are mostly nursing (meaning you can still be getting SOME formula but not enough to feed your child) you get significantly more foodstamps. So much that if you have additional family members you’d be able to feed them with the amount you’re getting, not just yourself. And they are expanding the breast feeding peer counselor program everywhere. I know in my city, Rochester NY, we have one of the more active PC programs. They go to the hospitals, home visits, phone calls, anything and everything to offer support or give advice or information to a breast feeding mother. They used to be all about formula but I think they’re understand now that’s not for the best. I was super impressed and I hope to work with them someday in my goal to become a LC.
In the Canadian context, there is a family resource centre- almost fully funded by prov. government grants- near me that hands out free formula. Their prenatal classes and new parent classes do not necessarily include breastfeeding support unless those attending are specifically interested. At the same time, provincial government pouring money into new breastfeeding marketing campaign (with ads requiring a very high literacy rate to comprehend.) One hand does not know what the other is doing.
WIC does offer additional food vouchers for breastfeeding mothers. If you choose to use formula you lose your breastfeeding package. Breastfeeding package is more than just the post-postpartum package, I don’t remember details of it as it’s been a long time since I was on the program.
Thanks for the info. Just to clarify, I wasn’t trying to say that WIC doesn’t do any of those things now. I just wanted to create a list of things they may be doing or may not be doing that should be the absolute minimum baseline for providing an environment that is supportive of breastfeeding.
The overall food package changed recently to be more supportive of breastfeeding (I believe Oct 09), so if you’re looking at online information it can be hard to judge if it’s up to date. Certainly the new food package offers additional solids for a mother who has never used formula.
Beyond that the quality of breastfeeding support from WIC seems to vary widely by geography.
I am exclusilvely BF’ing my 6 month old. WIC provides me with 4 gallons plus of milk, 1 1/2 lb of cheese, over 33 oz of cereal (fortified low sugar) 2 lbs of beans (4cans, 1 lb dried, or one 18 oz peanut butter), 3 46 oz containers of 100% juice, $10 in fresh fruits and vegis 2 dozen eggs 6 5-6oz cans of tuna or salmon and 2 lbs of specific whole grain breads. Its enough to serve me breakfast and snacks for an entire Month. However, WIC was designed to be a supplemental program, not a food stamp program. And recipients must be under 200% of Fed. Poverty Guidelines. Food Stamps in Michigan are administered separately, and recipients typically must be at or under 135% of Fed. Poverty guidelines. If I continue breastfeeding past six months, I continue to receive this package AND I get infant cereal, pureed fruits and vegis for the baby as well as pureed meats. If I stop BF’ing all I get are formula vouchers, cereal, and the fruits and vegis.
I’m in Indiana and have been receiving WIC for a year. I am still breastfeeding my daughter and never received formula vouchers and was asked each time I picked up checks if I was still breastfeeding. The baby food I received after my daughter was 6 months is an issue that needs to be addressed within WIC. It was 3 boxes of baby cereal and 90 jars of pureed foods! It was way too much for an infant just learning to eat and felt like a push to feed solids. I went to WIC and had the amounts reduced, have donated a lot of jars and still have a pantry overflowing.
I think it’s important to note that the formula WIC recipients receive is not enough to fully feed a baby. So even though the mother may be enticed to use formula, she will still have to pay for additional cans each month.
I wrote a post about my experiences with WIC and how I think WIC needs to change last summer. You can read that post here – http://typical-ramblings.blogspot.com/2009/08/breastfeeding-and-wic-is-that-oxymoron.html
I wrote a post last year about WIC and breastfeeding. http://www.ourlifeupstate.com/2009/09/forced-to-breastfeed.html But basically I completely agree with you!
this is a very interesting piece, thankyou. I had WIC for my last two babies (twins) because I had left their father. I was an experienced and committed breastfeeder (thank goodness–these two turned out to be severely asthmatic, and I credit breastfeeding with the survival of one and the present asthma- and allergy-free status of both now-14-year-olds). I did receive extra food vouchers, to support my own nutritional needs. My good friend, a former LLL leader, is now working with her local WIC program. I definitely believe that race explains the difference b/t WIC and non-WIC low-income breastfeeding behavior. Lower-income people are less likely to deviate from their mothers’, sisters’, and friends’ choices regarding birth and feeding than those from more-educated groups. I also observed this among enlisted personnel and their wives in the U.S. military.
Also, I got the job as a peer counselor and have never been on WIC myself. I also forgot to mention that in my area at least, foodstamps can be used at many stands at our huge farmer’s market. So if you’re breast feeding and getting more foodstamps that’s ton more local, fresh food you can get, even all natural beef that is about the same price as beef at our local super market.
That is fabulous that you can use the foodstamps at the farmer’s market.
I wish our state would let WIC be used at farmer’s markets. I might have actually used it. WIC just supplied a bunch of stuff we never needed, mostly dairy, so I didn’t bother applying for it even though we would have qualified.
Indiana WIC gave out a separate check for the local farmers’ market last summer (in my area at least). I was amazed at how much I could get for $3, and more importantly, it gave me the impetus to go to the market and by more there.
Are you meaning to say WIC vouchers? Because foodstamps is a completely different program. You can have a much higher income on WIC than foodstamps. You can only use WIC vouchers at farmer’s markets in certain states.
I think it should be a requirement of the program.
I work as a breastfeeding educator at a WIC program in California. I’m not sure about the rest of the country, but in California and some of our neighboring states, there are AMAZING breastfeeding education programs. WIC, as a whole, is putting much more emphasis (money and other resource), into breastfeeding than it used to. Since October of last year, mothers are not able to get formula (unless it is doctor ordered), for the first month of the baby’s life (that change took place at a federal level). In our community (and most others I know of), WIC mothers are required to attend comprehensive prenatal breastfeeding classes and their first appointment after they have their baby is with a trained breastfeeding counselor or a lactation consultant (depending on their comfort level with breastfeeding). Additionally, most WIC clinics have several lactation consultants on staff, along with a whole crew of other breastfeeding support staff who can see mothers, issue pumps, and answer calls. Most of our moms receive a prenatal call while they are pregnant reminding them of our breastfeeding services and answering any questions they have, and many receive a call in the first week of their baby’s life to check in with how things are going.
Even with all of that, our breastfeeding rates aren’t impressively high. From what I can tell there are two major things holding back our rates. One is a cultural thing…A lot of the moms we see have either no support people at home, or they have many people around them who are telling them that they shouldn’t breastfeed for some reason or another. And the second is the pediatricians in our area, who have one excuse after the other for why moms shouldn’t breastfeed (jaundice, mom had a c-section and needs pain meds, baby lost weight in the first week, etc, etc). I get a few calls a week from moms who were told to stop breastfeeding by their doctors because their baby has jaundice.
Katie, do you know if your WIC offices ever call those doctors to educate them on breastfeeding?
I am Canadian, however we lived in the US when we had our second child. We qualified for WIC and took it as a means to help us get through. I breastfed and was given so many coupons for food we gave a lot of it away. I was saddened that a lot of the food was packaged, fruit juice and cereal. I would love to see a system that promoted more fresh fruits and veggies!
WIC also had a lot of classes and support if you needed it. The office i went to was so overwhelmed at times I was in awe of the need. We were in California before the recession hit. I can only imagine it now.
I think as a whole WIC is an amazing program that could use more of everything
WIC actually totally revamped their foods last year. Lots more variety in the foods (including fruits & vegetables), some organics available, including all the baby foods.
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/wicworks/Pages/WICAuthorizedFoodListWAFL.aspx
I was also contacted about being a peer councilor for WIC. They acknowledge the fact that the breastfeeding rates are low but the FDA has been doing research on increasing rates since 2006 when they piloted the Peer Councillor program. They rates in the piloted areas increased and now the program is being started nationwide. WIC by no means is excited about the numbers but they do want to move forward and include peer councilors into the normal visit to encourage pregnant mothers as well as mothers who are currently breastfeeding the opportunity to get support from other mothers like myself who have breastfed.
I also want to mention that with the economy the way it is some of the lactation services in hospitals were cut back. This important first step in a new mother’s life should involved a trained professional that just isn’t there anymore in the hospitals.
Also the doctor’s offices are not enforcing breastfeeding so that is yet another step that could have been another opportunity for education.
All in all I believe WIC is not the only culprit here. There is a chain of events that leads a new mom to think that bottle is best instead of the breast. WIC is working to change and I hope to play a part in it.
I’m on WIC for the first time in 13 years and things have come a long way since my oldest was a baby. Breastfeeding is very much encouraged, a food package is offered for a year with everything they offer (it used to be 6 months and just a small list of foods), support is offered if one wants it, and they offer incentives along the way. If you initially breastfeed, you get a magnet. Then at 2 months you get something else, four months is a bib, six months is a plate and sippy cup, and so on. At a year, you get a gift certificate. At 6 months and a year, you get your picture taken with baby and hung on the wall of fame. They’re small things, but it’s encouraging. The counselors are very pro-nursing. It was never a question for me, but they have the pros on posters all over, with posters of the cons of formula beside them. This is in Stephenson County, Illinois and I realize that every office is different but I am very impressed with how nursing friendly mine is.
While I certainly think WIC’s promotion of formula is closely related to poor breastfeeding outcomes, I’m also interested in how maternity leave and breastfeeding friendly employers factor into why low income American mothers are less likely to breastfeed. Welfare reform (PRWORA) has left poor women with extremely unforgiving work requirements, often in locations where pumping is difficult. Many poor women aren’t able to stay home with their infants and usually don’t have lactation rooms or office doors to lock when pumping at work. Maternity leave (or the US’s lack thereof) and workplace support need to be addressed as well as WIC. The US needs a major culture shift when it comes to breastfeeding, but it also needs to provide financial support and job security to all mothers so they can do what’s best.
I am trained as a WIC peer counselor and I am mentored by a WIC IBCLC for hours towards pathway 3. I completely believe that WIC is at fault here. It is simply too easy to get formula and the education where I am(Illinois) is really lacking. WIC needs a major overhaul. It should be as easy as asking for formula. Half the moms don’t even try and those that do never make it long. They know the formula is there and that it takes no effort to get it.
I have to read through this more closely, but as a WIC recipient for years now, I have to say here in the local office they have been hugely encouraging of and supportive of breastfeeding (the actual counselors, employees, etc). And while they do offer formula vouchers if you are not breastfeeding, you get a much better package of vouchers overall if you are breastfeeding – presumably because the nursing mother needs added nutrition. I’ll come back when it’s not so late to read through the details of what you’ve written more carefully. Great topic, Annie.
-elizabeth
I qualify for and use WIC and my 9 month old has never had any formula. I was offered a pump before my baby was even born b/c they knew I was going back to work. They have been so supportive of breastfeeding. That said, I think the breastfeeding rates are very low in my community. When I’m out and about I almost never see a baby without a bottle (sometimes a bottle of kool-aid or chocolate milk, even).
My friend of similar income level, career choice (teacher), marital status (married) and education level chooses not to use WIC, and also breastfeeds her 9 month old baby. We both save money by breastfeeding! I think it is our culture, education level, we have access to good information (books, internet, etc.), and other factors that have helped us want to and be able to breastfeed successfully. We both have supportive husbands that encouraged us through those some-times rough first few weeks.
It is my understanding that you are much better off as a bfing WIC client than a formula feeding one. You get a lot more food, a lot more support and a breast pump. WIC isn’t the problem here. If they could take out the age/race/culture/income/education variables and show the same difference I would be right there with you.
While I agree WIC isn’t totally at fault, even a revamped program doesn’t change the rates. The perscriptions for formula are needed for the entire first year. My oldest (23 months) had to supplemented because she was a preemie. While WIC encoirages breastfeeding they don’t seem too excited or interested in pushing it as much as they should. My youngest is 5 months old and exclusivly breastfed. I was told by a worker that it’s okay if I felt that I couldn’t breastfeed I could always get switched to formula. Also I’m not sure I would trust too much of what the WIC study says. I was told by a cashier at a store that moms on WIC recommend other moms to say they breastfeed so they get the extra food. I’ve had both packages…if they actually thought about it, they are pAying forore out of pocket by buying their formula rather than WIC supplying it. So your percents on WIC breastfeeders is probably even lower than that. I breastfeed because I’ve seen And read that it is best for babies and helps build their immune systems. Further more, those I know who breastfed their children are significantly more healthy and don’t get sick near as often as those who have formula fed their babies. I have seen it with my own daughters as well. My oldest has been sick more often than my youngest at the same age and my oldest was only supplemented. I am convinced that alot of BF issues are clutural, supportive help, and education.
I think it’s a cultural stigma in some parts of the US. As well as a stigma in some races. In most African American circles no one has breast fed and if you do you are looked down on. Most people just take the formula. Who wants to be hassled with breast feeding? It hurts! That is the argument, at least where I live in the midwest.
I was nursing my son, in a private area of the zoo (large shaded trees, a bench well off the path, and a huge Aiden and Anais swaddler covering us). A young lady saw me and came close enough for me to hear, she yelled out, Ew. Gross! Get a bottle! And sneered at me. The only way she new what was going on was that I was playing with the feet of my two week old.
My kids have all had very severe allergies, all three. I kept at breastfeeding and they are all fine. I know it was the breast milk that helped them. I know that’s what keeps them healthy. I had a medical emergency with my middle son and he has all sorts of complications – I will always think it’s because I had to stop nursing him at 3/4 months. Regardless, the other two have medical records to prove severe allergies (doctor advised to slow down vaccinations) and skin problems – ecezema. Four years after nursing no problems. I bet a formula fed mother could not say the same….
Also, all three of mine had RSV one severe and we nursed and nursed. No hospitalization. I’d be interested in an in depth study on the health benefits of breastfed children from infancy to teenager!
I’m so sorry about the weird lady at the zoo. I had a manager at a grocery super store threaten to have me arrested for doing the same thing, regardless of how politely I informed her that I was violating no law (my state specifically exempts breastfeeding from indecency statutes). Sometimes I wish I would have let her call the police…especially after I heard of other people in similar predicaments.
I’m really glad to hear these positive stories about WIC offering solid breastfeeding support. My own experiences five years ago were *dismal*, and I know many women across the country who have received poor support ranging from bad advice to outright antagonism for breastfeeding exclusively to six months or – heaven forbid! – past a year. The emphasis on dairy and processed foods (cereals, Nestle-produced juices, blocks of cheese large enough to constipate a whole family of newborns
) is troublesome and rarely mentioned. I personally was on the receiving end of several ignorant comments, admonitions and near-scoldings regarding healthy growth rates (would someone PLEASE get these folks a copy of the international breastfed-exclusive growth charts?) and things like the “dangers” of breastfeeding whilst pregnant or into toddlerhood were baffling at best, and offensive at times. I was interviewed years ago to work as a peer counselor, but ended up declining due to the baby-unfriendliness of the work place and the clear uphill battle I’d have had to support anyone going against the grain or the mainstream wisdom of the time.
I have received WIC twice now. Once with my older son who is now 14 and with a 2 year old. I have not been getting vouchers for the two year old for about 3 months. Not because I don’t qualify but because the office does nothing but harass me about the two year old breastfeeding. From the time he was 6 months old they told me it was no longer necessary and that I could get vouchers for formula. When he was seven months old my supply dipped (I was pumping and nursing) and I needed help with a pump when mine broke. They didn’t have one in the office I could rent so they just wanted to give me formula. Maybe it depends on where you are, but I live in a high latino area. While I am not latina, latinas tend to breastfeed. It seems that our WIC office likes to discourage breastfeeding here.
Ok, I’ve no knowledge of WIC as I’m in Scotland. Here the breastfeeding rates in low income households are atrocious – I sometimes wonder if they are even wrong (with 8-13% breastfeeding at 6-8 week review on average, compared to the national average of 35%). Low income families receive vouchers for milk – formula or cow’s milk, and the voucher does not cover the full price of a pack of powder, which has been criticised by low income parents.
How about changing the system to give the value of the voucher to the parent to spend as they please, so they can save money if they breastfeed?
I know the argument against it – fear that formula feeds would be diluted for the pack to last longer, cows milk being used instead of formula. There’s never an easy answer but surely if adequate support for new mothers was available (either to support breastfeeding or to support safe formula feeding) these things shouldn’t happen? Or am I an idealist?
Yeah, the food package for a nursing mom is NICE. It’s way more than a kid gets. I was so sad when we hit a year and I lost those benefits. I don’t think that WIC recipients know that, though, unless they are breastfeeding. I’m also pretty certain that, monetarily, it’s still probably worth less than the formula vouchers.
I do think that there’s a lot that WIC needs to do. In my case, my local WIC office was very supportive (although I didn’t need it). Even so, though, there’s definitely more they could have done in terms of peer counseling and having lactation consultants. And I’ve heard some awful stories about WIC offices, so I know this varies a great deal.
I do think WIC is the main reason low-income families do not breastfeed. I was on WIC when I was pregnant and after I had the baby, they didn’t do much to help encourage breastfeeding. So, when I told them I had stopped they had no issue giving me checks for TWELVE cans of formula a month! Now that I don’t qualify for WIC anymore (and I know more than I did then) I will certainly be breastfeeding this time around.
I live in Ohio and used WIC with both of my children. They provided me with a double pump so I could continue to work, a manual pump, and all of the food vouchers Kristen mentioned (above). It was amazing! I felt well-supported, but I did have to make an appointment to get b.f. consulting if I was having trouble. I like the idea of peer counseling, and round-the-clock support. As a doula, I have had clients call in the middle of the night, b/c they did not know where else to turn.
I knew some girls I worked with who would exclusively breastfeed, but told WIC they were supplementing sometimes, so they could receive both formula and b.f. benefits. Then they would go and sell the formula at local resale shops. Gross. What a waist of gov’t money.
Perhaps WIC does need to reevaluate and redirect their services to promote and better support breastfeeding services. Not a bad idea!
I’m exposing myself as a conservative here, but I really don’t think increased government intervention is the key. I think the culture must change first. I especially think doctors need to be more supportive of breastfeeding. I was given an entire can of formula by my Ob-gyn months before Baby was born, and told by my pediatrician to begin supplementing with formula immediately to “get him used to it in case something happens, like you die, or want to go on a date”. Perhaps this study will help the medical community become more breastfeeding friendly.
I do think a government sponsored publicity campaign could be effective if they actually showed breastfeeding moms actually breastfeeding on billboards and TV. Too many people act like it’s a deviant behavior which should be done in private if at all.
“get him used to it in case something happens, like you die, or want to go on a date”
o. m. g. I think I just thew up in my mouth a little. I probably shouldn’t hug my daughter much either since I could die any minute and then what will she do?
I’m not personally familiar with WIC but I do know my area (Greater Cleveland, Ohio) is littered with breastfeeding billboards with WIC on them. I just started noticing them a few years ago though so maybe the changes some people mention are true. WIC terrifies me for a completely different reason – I’ve heard them denying benefits if parents don’t vaccinate. yikes!
They cannot refuse you benefits if you qualify financially if you do not vaccinate. It’s simply another avenue for the government/public health officials to propagandize. Tell them you don’t for religious reasons and threaten legal action. They cannot discriminate based on religion and there is a USDA hot line specifically for WIC discrimination complaints.
If you think that’s bad, I’ve had several FAAPs tell me various outright false information regarding formula and breastfeeding.
One, an allergist, said he believed every newborn’s first meal should be a formula containing different allergy food proteins to “sensitize” their immune systems. Needless to say, I didn’t go back even for my own care.
One, a partner at a children’s hospital general pediatriac practice, told me that breastmilk was worthless after 4 months because that is when the child should be started on solids and formula was clearly a better nutritional choice. He about wet himself having fits telling me why tandem nursing and breastfeeding while pregnant were dangerous to me and my children and dismissed as irrelevant questions I asked that were pretty much straight out of Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk, the AAP’s policy statement on breastfeeding.
But speaking of vaccines… Another partner at the same children’s hospital practice ignored my concerns about green frothy poop and diaper rash to browbeat me into vaccination for my 2 month old, only to have her have a serious adverse event once we got home that was never documented in her chart.
As to WIC supporting breastfeeding, there is a wide variation in what is offered from clinic to clinic, let alone state to state. And even the clinics with the best programs will fail to increase breastfeeding initiation and sustaining rates if people don’t bother to show up. I worked as a breastfeeding peer counselor for WIC. Part of my job was sitting in the waiting areas, nursing my baby, and talking to other mothers about breastfeeding in an effort to normalize breastfeeding since many of our moms had never or seldom seen anyone breastfeed in person. I also had an approximately 500 piece mailing list that included the prenatal and breastfeeding mothers in my district where I would advertise monthly classes focusing on a specific breastfeeding topic at each clinic, services available, and where to call for breastfeeding questions or support. I was happy if I had 2 people show up at each class because they were not required in order for the moms to get their vouchers even though we had give-aways at every class and older children were welcome. I did home visits, and phone calls, and regular breastfeeding education, pump loans, and community outreach to the medicaid HMO prenatal program coordinators. I only had a maximum of 25 hours a week, but it was enough work for three people working full time. And because of a state hiring freeze (that also counts toward grant funded positions like mine was) I don’t know that there has been anyone hired to replace my replacement after she left.
While I don’t believe WIC should be demonized because I do appreciate the attempts they’re making to put more emphasis on breastfeeding, I must say my local WIC office has given me a horrid experience.
It started when I was pregnant and wanted to take a breastfeeding class through the local hospital. I called to ask WIC counselors if that class could count as credit toward the WIC breastfeeding class I had to take and they told me no. I ended up going to both classes (thank goodness). While the breastfeeding class offered by the hospital was interesting, informative, and gave me a lot of notes to bring home, the WIC version consisted of a short 20-minute video and another 10 minutes of lecture / questions. We were given the business card of a lactation consultant and sent home. I could not believe they had required I attended that poor excuse for a breastfeeding class.
After I got home with my little one, I had some problems breastfeeding. Once I finally reached the lactation consultant (because she rarely came into work, a snide comment given by one of her coworkers), she gave me terrible advice. I had already learned contradictory information from LLL and the lactation consultants at the local hospital – yet she gave me bad advice with gusto.
I went back to work and invested money I didn’t have in a Medela Swing. Fast-forward two months later, when my child was four months old, they gave me a double-electric pump. I’m not saying I’m not thankful – indeed, I am because I feel I got my life back the day I got a double-electric . . . but why on EARTH was I not given the tools I needed earlier? It would have made our breastfeeding journey that much more manageable.
When I returned a few months later because part of that double-electric broke and I needed to pick up new flanges, I was shown a manual pump (that couldn’t generate any suction) and was told by the LC that NO, faster suction in the beginning did NOT make milk let down faster. By this point I know this woman has no idea what she’s talking about – and SHE is supposed to be giving breastfeeding advice and support?
Finally, other than the extra food vouchers if you exclusively breastfeed, there is no other “attagirl!” from the office if you’ve actually made milestones. I was even told by another WIC recipient “Good luck with your goal of one year, I couldn’t make it two weeks before I was up here telling these people to give me formula.” And did they give her formula? Absolutely. Did they try to resist or give her breastfeeding support instead? Absolutely not.
I do believe that WIC contributes to formula feeding. I have a few friends who asked my “why breastfeed when formula’s free at WIC” though I do not qualify for WIC due to income guidelines. I also went to a WIC office for a breastfeeding support meeting and saw a sign that said “Got Formula.” I was really turned off by that. I believe that in my state (WV) that nursing moms are given a voucher for a can of formula when their baby is born. I do know that many states have great breastfeeding programs but I believe that WIC makes formula feeding easier because the moms don’t have to buy as much. The food package offered by WIC does not appeal to me since I didn’t feed my daughter jarred purees or meats. I wish they would just offer fresh fruits and veggies instead of jarred foods and processed cereals. I also don’t know how the breastfeeding package would help that much since I don’t really eat most of the foods on the list. I also don’t understand why they would provide cow’s milk for my one year old since she does not drink cow’s milk. So at her age, we wouldn’t really benefit from the program since they would no longer give me the breastfeeding package after age 1. I believe that WIC is beneficial if they can provide lactation services but I really think that they should provide a better package to breastfeeding moms and encourage nursing past one year rather than pushing cow’s milk on toddlers.
Today is a simply awesome day for breastfeeding posts (check out my twitter stream!). I’m loving today! Well done!
As a CA WIC recipent I will second what Katie says about not providing formula for babies first month (30 days) I was having a heck of a time with my newest kiddo and he’d been having blood sugar issues and was having a really hard time eating from the breast. I thought i might have to supplement a bit because I wasn’t sure I could pump for his needs but ended up plotting through because I sure as heck wasn’t going to buy the stuff myself just to use a few bottles worth.
I also wanted to add that I am also on WIC in the USA. My daughter is 9 months old and was exclusively breast-fed until she was 6 months old. Because she was exclusively breast-fed she also gets A LOT more baby food then if she were on formula. I get all the baby food she would eat in a whole month (cereal, meat, fruits and veggies). On top of that, I get 5 gallons of milk, 2 lb cheese, 4 cans beans, whole grains (bread/torillas), 36 oz cereal, $10 fruits/veggies, 30 oz tuna, 64 oz juice and 2 dozen eggs. I also agree that WIC doesn’t do a very good job at educating women on breastfeeding and support. The breastfeeding counselors periodically still call me and make sure all is well. They always called before she would hit a growth spurt and remind me of what was going to happen and to just stick with it. They gave me a free hand pump and directions on how to get a double electric from Medical Assistance. I think they are improving, but they still have a long way to go. I don’t think it’s right to be getting rebates from formula companies. If they spent more on lactation consultants, breastfeeding counselors and educators, pumps and resources they would ultimately save all the money spent on formula. Also, if they discouraged formula use and educated what it really is I think most women would just opt for how nature intended us to feed our children. Human milk does the body good
I like to think that when one is properly educated, they will choose the correct way because it’s common sense.
I receive WIC and am breastfeeding. WIC did offer breastfeeding support – peer counselor, access to a pump if I was working, extra supplemental fruits and veggies, etc – but we also get 95 jars of baby food per month. NINETY FIVE JARS. Plus baby cereal.
I don’t think paying WIC counselors to visit moms is the key. Quite honestly, I knew more than the peer counselor did (to be fair, I’ve been breastfeeding for years and years.)
I think the key lies in community, and mentor moms. The government can encourage breastfeeding, but the real change has to come from the culture and person to person. We need to see breastfeeding as beautiful, but that’s difficult when time and time again people compare breastfeeding to other bodily functions (i.e., pooping.) We need moms who have successfully breastfed to encourage other moms. BFing needs a PR campaign!
Also we need to not be so PC. In many mommy circles, mommy magazines, parenting pros, etc. sometimes seem afraid to say that breastmilk is better than formula. That formula is not the best choice. Everyone is so afraid of being seen as judgemental that they are downplaying the real benefits (financial and health) of breastfeeding. It’s a hard subject to speak openly about.
There are other factors to consider besides WIC. Hospital practices of supplementation, formula bags, keeping the baby in the nursery, C-section rates etc.all negatively impact breastfeeding rates.
Nicole:
You are right. There are lots of other factors to consider. I wrote about a lot of them in my post on the societal barriers to breastfeeding and you mentioned a few others here too. However, the reason I wrote this post and singled out WIC in particular is due to the significant difference in the breastfeeding rates between low-income moms who are on WIC and low-income moms who are not on WIC.
I’m another breastfeeding WIC mother, and despite still qualifying for it, canceled my WIC after my DD was six months old because of the atmosphere at WIC. My first post partum visit I was asked what formula she was using- and when I said she was breastfeeding (10 days old) they asked me “you know the formula is free, right?” ARRGH. despite being a full time college student, I was never offered a pump (though I did get one through the hospital because my DD was kept for 8 days) and never given any breastfeeding education except a bag with a burp cloth and a video that was all made by *NESTLE* yeah. They also told me my DD was overweight at 3 months (yes she’s off the charts, but she’s also a very tall baby- and 50th percentile length to weight) Then, they were upset with me for not introducing cereal at 4 months because “she would become anemic” despite that their literature was already saying solids after 6 months.
I did however get complemented by staff and other moms when I was nursing in the waiting room.
That is awful Rebecca. Thank you for sharing your story, but UGH UGH UGH.
Curious where you live Rebecca?
I’m in Louisiana, something like the third lowest breastfeeding rates in the country. Most people are shocked that I BF at all, much less that I’m still BFing at 10 months. I agree with another commenter that poor maternity leave is a large factor, I do want to point out that from my own observation, there were many moms receiving WIC formula who were not working- from what they were telling me while chatting in the waiting room. Of course that’s not a representative sample. I had my prenatal care at the state hospital, and when they explained you wouldn’t be able to get WIC at first the counselor (talking to the whole waiting room) said you could use food stamps, or buy formula yourself- or you could breastfeed.
WIC told me my son was overweight as well! He was EBF at this point and had was about 25 pounds before 12 months old. I was suggested a diet. i was horrified!
Sounds like WIC needs to update their growth charts! My daughter is in the 10th percent range and WIC nurses kept trying to make suggestions on how to get her to eat more despite the fact she is thriving.
I have nursed 3 kids one for 4 months, one for 20 and my 3rd for 8 months and counting.
My daughter I was alone and very tired. I contacted WIC and they simply told me to give her formula. No one ever asked if there was any other issues (I was sleep deprived and depressed). I gave into the formula. I got more depressed for a while. I did get sleep but I am still not sure why it worked that way.
My son was nursed for 20 months,despite supply issues and 2 rounds of thrush and mastitis in both breasts. WIC gave me a pump i was not able to figure out. That is all they would help me with . When my situation got settled at home I was able to stop with the formula all together. I was still given the vouchers. I told them they were not needed, still got them.
With my baby because I had supply issue with my son they automatically gave me formula and told me that I should start to supplement with that. I do not have supply issues with nursing this time. We are fine but I do have pumping issues. For the first 2 weeks the WIC office called to make sure things were going well. Then the calls stopped. I actually needed help because my daughter would not nurse in many other positions, when I called and left a message no one returned my call.
Munchkin is 8 months old Monday, I have made it through a deployment with 3 kids, one nursing and one in therapy for spectrum disorder. If I can make it this far anyone can. It is something I know I am doing good for my kids.
While I do support what WIC is doing I also believe if they say they are going to help they should. I also think that they should not offer name brands of formula at WIC. It is funding these companies so that they can advertise in magazines and give free samples to doctors offices. I, sadly, do have to purchase formula and when I do I buy store brand. I do not want to put funds into the pockets of formula pushers!
I think that another factor that we have to consider is that low-income women in the US probably also have less access to quality maternity leave, and are less able to afford to take unpaid time have. I have read studies that indicate that short maternity leaves are correlated with lower breastfeeding rates, which makes sense to me. It is absolutely possible to pump while you are away from your baby, but it’s not easy, and it’s even less easy if you’re working someplace where you don’t have any access to privacy. When you have to return to work within weeks of giving birth, AND you have access to free formula, I really see how breastfeeding rates would take a hit.
I am the breastfeeding coordinator of a WIC agency that serves about 5,000 participants monthly. This is a great topic for discussion. WIC has long been known as the “free formula program”, a reputation that they are actively trying to reverse through more and more funding and policy changes regarding the food package, breast pump provision, and peer counseling programs.
When we look at the difference in rates of breastfeeding between WIC participants and WIC-eligible nonparticipants, part of that is because of WHY many people come to WIC in the first place. I’m not saying the free formula doesn’t influence breastfeeding decisions- it does. But many WIC-eligible pregnant women who plan to breastfeed, or mothers who are currently breastfeeding, don’t realize how much they will benefit from enrolling in WIC as a breastfeeding mother, so they feel they have no need for the program. On the other hand, pregnant mothers who expect to formula-feed and mothers who are currently using formula, are more likely to enroll in WIC.
Other readers have already commented on the food package changes in October 2009 that greatly increased the food package for exclusively breastfeeding women. This financial incentive is powerful: my agency’s breastfeeding rates have nearly doubled as a result. In addition, many State WIC programs have implemented a policy of denying supplemental formula to breastfeeding mothers in the first month to support the establishment of breastfeeding and her milk supply.
I suspect that this disparity that you highlight is already on its way out. WIC will have to make more changes to eliminate it. I love your suggestions for the support WIC should provide. I hope your readers will advocate for WIC funding through their legislators since these measures cost the program more than heavily-discounted infant formula, but as we know from the new study, they will save money in the long run!
Interesting article – here are some thoughts….
1. Alot of agencies, at least in Indiana, are doing several of the things she suggests should be done.
2. If WIC were able to allow all formulas to be allowed on vouchers, rebates would no longer be offered – the companies do that to ensure that only their formula is used.
3. I highly suspect that WIC participating moms’ overall breastfeeding rates are lower than moms who are WIC eligible but not on the program because so many moms come to WIC for specifically for the formula. If a mom is WIC eligible, but breastfeeding, she is less likely to apply since she doesn’t need formula. What I believe is that the moms who come to WIC in order to get formula to feed the baby, through our breastfeeding promotion, actually end up breastfeeding, at least some. So we are increasing the breastfeeding rates among many moms who probably never intended to breastfeed in the first place.
I freaking haaaate the mandatory BF classes. They’re well-intentioned but the whole setup is enough to drive you nuts.
The office is small, hot, and cramped, and there is NOTHING for children to do there except get into trouble. There is no childcare provided, and clearly if I could afford a babysitter to listen to a “breastfeeding counselor” read me stuff she printed off kellymom, I wouldn’t be on WIC at all.
ahem.
Mostly I’m in it for the cheese. And, of late, the fruit/veg checks. THOSE are REALLY AWESOME. I’d wrangle four kids in the WIC office every month for those. I think.
Anyway, I imagine BFPC has a point. We’ve always qualified, but not always bothered to stay on the program, especially when crossing state lines into a new office.
In the past, it has been much more of a hassle than it was worth, since the food dollar amounts are fairly small and the choices quite restricted. If you were getting formula, though, you have a lot more motivation to get and stick with the program.
But it’s gotten more worthwhile with the addition of the veg checks and the wholegrain products. So I got back on, stupid BF classes or not. lol
I really must say, though, that in the five years I’ve been on the program in one place or another, the workers have always been very verbally supportive of breastfeeding.
I don’t know how much help they are, or could even possibly be expected to be, when the going gets hard, though– issuing formula checks has GOT to be a lot easier than trying to figure out what’s gone wrong with a breastfeeding situation, particularly when you’re already pressed for time.
But as long as BF is going well, they’ve always done everything but roll out the red carpet for my breastfeeding efforts.
I used to work for WIC as a breastfeeding counselor. We did in depth classes, and called moms at home on a regular basis to ask if they had any problems. Our job was to encourage long term breastfeeding as much as possible. I wish that program got more funding so that every WIC office could afford to hire people to do this.
I’ve been on WIC in 3 different states during my hubby’s schooling career (just started grad school) and have seen different approaches on BFing in all 3. In Utah it was more acceptable and almost expected that you BF. I don’t remember having to make a huge decision whether to BF or formula feed my first… maybe because it is just plain cheaper to nurse. Oh, and after 48 hours of not being able to nurse when my first was 5 weeks I vowed I wouldn’t go through the hassle of formula! Pennsylvania as well as Maryland promoted BFing, but didn’t offer any classes or instruction. I’m sure that it made a difference that I planned on nursing and had experience, but if I hadn’t had the experience or support and didn’t make the decision beforehand, well…Anyway, the WIC food package was completely revamped as of October 2009 to include foods for a more rounded diet. BFing moms get fruits, veggies, whole grain bread, tortillas, or brown rice, milk, eggs, cheese, fish (not just tuna anymore), beans or peanut butter, and cereal. Some weeks or months we have depended on this as our staples for meals.
I do wish that the individual states would do more to promote BFing where it isn’t as normal as formula. Since reading this post I will be talking to a friend who works for WIC in our area about becoming a peer educator!
I live in Kentucky & I get WIC & exclusively breast feed my daughter! WIC has been very helpful & supportive. My daughter would not latch so I ended up exclusively pumping & they gave me a Medela Pump in Style back pack!! I went to a LC, at the hospital where I delivered, for a couple months (for free) trying to get her to latch. WIC also had a breastfeeding peer councilor who checked in with me several times in the beginning. I get milk, eggs, cheese, bread, cereal, beans, tuna, fresh produce, juice & peanut butter, it’s great!! & for my daughter, once she turned 6 months old, i started getting: cereal, and baby food (fruits, veggies & meat)… way more than what we need!! My daughter is really not interested in foods, except for things she can feed herself, like cheerios & puffs (she is 7.5 months). I still keep trying to feed her the baby food, but it would be nice if we had the option to get fresh produce to MAKE food for her and if we could get cereal such as cheerios for her rather than the baby food. But I still appreciate what we get & I’ve started buying more fruit (baby food) because I figure that I can put it in her oatmeal or yogurt later once she decides she will eat foods like that, LOL. Also, I like some of the fruits for myself… haha… so I just eat some and then she can get it through my milk =) I’ve also researched and found some recipes that call for baby food so I may try that out. & I’ve also made popsicles out of baby food (fruit), yogurt &/or breast milk just to try to get my daughter to try things & when she is a little older I can use the pureed fruits to make smoothies too =)
Also, I should add that my daughter has never been sick & I have had e few very bad colds & she didn’t seem affected at all!! Breast milk is amazing!! I also feel very blessed that I have more than enough milk for my daughter even though she wouldn’t latch. We are moving to Indiana soon & I wonder if anybody reading this might know if I will get the same things from WIC in Indiana…? I know it can vary from state to state.
OVERALL I THINK WIC IN KENTUCKY IS WONDERFUL!
Oh & one interesting thing I’ve noticed though is that the cashiers always seem a little confused by my vouchers, I don’t think they see many vouchers for breast feeding moms…. I don’t know why more people wouldn’t want to take advantage of it though, I think it’s great!!
Hi Annie.. Very thorough and interesting as always.
I found out in October 2009 that the PA WIC was NOT giving formula to breastfeeding moms for the first month. They were getting a larger food package instead. I haven’t been able to find out if there has been data collected to evaluate this change yet. When I was researching the state site and came across our county, I was AMAZED to find that I was listed as the local resource!!!!! I had NO Idea and I have no idea how long it has been listed that way!! Amazing!
They have a nice educational poster for moms explaining why no formula for the first month. hope the link shows up here:
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_624657_0_0_18/Breastfeeding%20without%20WIC%20formula.pdf
This is what it says in their newsletter:
“In order to encourage moms to fully breastfeed their infants, the new food vouchers for breastfeeding women are the largest checks given. Fully breastfed infants also receive infant meats in addition to fruits and vegetables at 6 months of age. To allow moms and babies to get breastfeeding started in the first month after birth, formula supplementation is not permitted, and moms are offered a breastpump if they need one. Chester County WIC (the pilot county)currently leads the state in the initiation of breastfeeding with 65% of our moms nursing their babies.”
The system needs a lot of work. I know our county is is need of good peer counselors.
I have had experience with WIC in two separate cities. With my 2.5 yr old, I stopped nursing at 6 wks. I am completely confident in saying that if I had approached the WIC office for support in continuing nursing, they would have made me an appt in 3 wks, and I would have had to wait in the office for 2 hrs before being seen for a 15 min appt that was useless. btw, I quit because of severe postpartum anxiety, and I needed meds that I couldn’t take while nursing.
In our current city, I have been impressed by the commitment of the employees to nursing. I have been seen immediately for supply issues, received follow-up appointments and information in the mail pertaining to nursing and my food allergies. They provided both a manual and an electric pump. In the office, they also offer several classes on breastfeeding, and readily provide the info for the LLL meetings in town. In addition to extra food vouchers, vouchers for the farmers market and friendly prompt service.
Honestly, the experience in this city made me sad for the ladies who didn’t qualify.
Here in southern Minnesota, the WIC program was so awful I stopped using it.
In the first place, I didn’t want to cost the government money if I could afford the foods myself (I feel the income level is very high in our area — almost every mother I know qualifies).
In the second place, I thought it was wasteful. The administrator actually told me to make bean bag toys with the extra dried beans I could get! They gave vouchers for WAY more juice, milk, cheese and cereal than was healthy for the size of our family. I don’t know a single family on WIC in my town that doesn’t give extra foods to friends and relatives because they get so much extra.
In the third place, I found that they were very anti-breastfeeding. You get free formula automatically and the nods towards breastfeeding were a joke. They acted surprised I was nursing and I never saw anything about support in any form. It makes me furious that my tax dollars are paying to get poor women to give up breastfeeding. The attitude is, “Why breastfeed? WIC will give you formula to use for free.”
In the fourth place, I found their dietary advice to be horrible. When I mentioned that I tried not to just give my young daughter apple juice all the time in favor of more nutritious juices like orange juice, the worker said “One juice is as good as any other kind, and apple juice is just as nutritious as eating apples.” My child would have been drinking up to 6 cups of apple juice a day to keep up with their program, which I know is ridiculous and would just lead to cavities and weight problems, not to mention masses of sugar. They also gave me false information about eggs and allergies (saying it was fine to give an infant eggs) and told me I was endangering my health by being a vegetarian.
In the fifth place, they were just plain rude. A worker ridiculed my toddler for crying when she stuck her for a lead test, saying, “Oh quit crying, it’s just a prick!”. Another one outright laughed when we told her we planned to homeschool our children (the oldest is now entering 7th grade at home and well past high school level in many subjects, thank you). Another one made fun of the way we spelled our son’s name (and no, it’s not a crazy spelling, though it would be rude even then).
It makes me sick to think of how many billions we spend on this program. I’m glad some states are doing a better job from the sounds of it.
As for the “extra food,” when I was on it I got a can of tuna and a bag of carrots each week instead of all the formula. It wasn’t exactly a huge incentive.
Oh, and here, you just get vouchers. You can use them on any brand that’s approved (but no organic foods). So most mothers I know buy the most expensive of everything, costing the government that much more money.
It’s a cash cow for the formula industry, Gerber and Juicy Juice, funded by the tax payers. I am so not a fan!