WIC -i dont really understand how they are supporting breastfeeding?

when they are handing out coupons for free formula... not to knock the program or any mother...... but when my child was young i breast fed and was on WIC when i would go to my appts and pick-ups i would see all moms formula feeding ? I would always think if they couldnt get formula for free maybe they would nurse ? any comments ?

whoa i didnt expect all the formula moms to get all upset...
WIC must be different every where !
for a response...at the wic i went if you nursed or not you still got the food also Bethany- i have never in my life used a breast pump (so i dont know where you get that).... i completely understand moms working and cant b.f. but never did understand the ones that choose not to or that say that dont have enough milk ? but hey everyone has there own choice.... i just think wic makes it easier to formula feed thats all.

She is NOT judging the moms. She is judging the WIC program that is obviously not trying to help and encourage the moms to breastfeed. WIC offices generally have signs up promoting breastfeeding, but if there's no encouragement for the moms and free formula, why would they even try to breastfeed?

It seems to me that it's according to who the WIC coordinator or worker is. Some of them are advocates of breastfeeding and will encourage the moms. Others just want to give you your vouchers and get you out and the next person in. It's really sad. I was on WIC with 2 of mine while I was breastfeeding. One time I had a great worker, she encouraged breastfeeding. The other one seemed to WANT to give me free formula. Each time I went in, I felt like she was trying to switch me over. It remind me of the old parable about giving fish for a day instead of teaching them to fish.

ADDED: DID they give you a breastpump? They didn't even lend me one when I was working. I'm upset now.

My sister just didin't use the formula portion.

I was unable to breastfeed...you have to remember that this might be the case too.

dont be so judgmental many of those moms cant nurse for a lot of reasons i was one of them. many of them also have pumped milk in the bottle. you dont know these women or their situation so dont judge

also many of these moms work. and for many working moms breastfeeding is too difficult. whats good for one isnt good for all

i cant breastfeed so dont judge me or other women who formula feed my son is the smartest in his class

They support breast feeding by giving you eggs, cheese, beans, milk for yourself. If you tell them you are not breast feeing then they will only provide formula to the baby,

They do support breastfeeding if the mother chooses to breastfeed, however, they leave the choice up to her and support her in her decision. They provide the proper dietary needs for nursing mothers and also provide free breast pumps to nursing mothers.

If the mother chooses to formula feed, they still support her also.

Edit~reading all the other responses, I guess I got lucky in that I had a very supportive counselor and I actually got a very expensive electric breast pump for free that I never had to return. I'd say that's encouraging breastfeeding!

i agree with you. i thought the same thing. yes i believe more would breastfeed but some probably would feed there baby's something else like cows milk or something.
to all the people that gave me i thumbs down the comment on on giving something else was for people who just formula feed because it was free not because they couldn't

Some people are unable to breastfeed.

Yes, I have a comment. I was on WIC with my first two children and I wouldn't have breastfed if I couldn't have gotten my formula through WIC. I have never been comfortable with it and have even tried to pressure myself into doing it and couldn't. You got a free breastpump from WIC right? That's like saying that you wouldn't have breastfed if you couldn't get the pump from them. I say that it is your own decision whether you breastfeed or bottle feed and if you are on WIC they also have the right to be on WIC. Also, WIC supports people that breastfeed by supplying the pumps, teaching about breastfeeding, and by giving women the extra food they need in order to breastfeed.

I wasnt able to nurse, I didnt make enough milk for either of my kids. So not every one is able to. So I would of had to pay for formula if it wasnt for WIC.At the office where I live they are all about breastfeeding...its just our choice if we want to or not. no one can make a woman breastfeed. my kids were formula fed and just as fine as kids who were breast fed.

I am a breastfeeding mom on WIC. If you're breastfeeding, you get eggs, milk, juice, cereal, cheese for 1 year. The baby will get cereal and juice when it's time.
They don't force formula on you - at least not at mine. At mine, they are very positive about reinforcing the need to breastfeed and give your baby the best possible start.

I believe that the WIC program ENCOURAGES women to breastfeed but then they ALLOW women to make the decision for themselves. Isn't that the way it should be?? Do you really think that they should stop giving out formula checks and FORCE women to breastfeed.... that wouldn't be fair, now would it?? something to think about, huh??

You have a good point, but don't forget that many mothers who need WIC also need to work. This is difficult to do while nursing an infant. The government has many programs that support working mothers (ie, childcare assistance), and with many of them on state aid, they support mothers earning a living, and understand many mothers have to formula feed. They provide food stamps for milk, cheese, etc. for breastfeeding mothers as well. They support both choices, which is fair.

I agree... they mention breastfeeding, but dont' really promote or support or encourage it!!

You have to push and ask for nursing help!! I have a friend on WIC, actually I'm babysitting her kids right now (napping at this moment) and everytime she goes there, they're trying to give her cans of formula... she keeps telling them she's breastfeeding... and when she asked for a breastpump they looked at her like she was nuts!!!

I wonder if her caseworker even knew that WIC provided pumps? a $300 pump is so much cheaper than a year's worth of formula.

Formula has a place in this world, no argument from me there... but it is also over used and abused in my opinion.

you may be right. there are a lot of people who take advantage of the system. but let me ask this: what are the odds of those babies being as healthy if they weren't given formula? the mothers who aren't committed to nursing aren't going to do it just to save money on formula, but they very well might give milk or watered-down formula. also, remember that some aren't able to nurse. the program is meant to help improve children's health, and those who abuse it probably aren't all that concerned, anyway.

They do support breastfeeding! When you go there they always tell you that breastfeeding is best. However, if a mom still does not want to breast feed after WIC gives them the info about it, then WIC cannot force them to. So, because they are a program to help women, infants, and children, they give the vouchers for the formula so the baby has enough to eat. Plus, not everyone wants to breastfeed and who are you to judge them for that? Formulas that are out now have tons of nutrients in them and are good for the baby. Of course, its not as many nutrients as breastmilk, but its still not bad. I think every mother has the right whether or not to breastfeed their child.

I have had problems breastfeeding and am extremely upset by this. You should try to be more understanding. Not everyone can breastfeed, not just due to physical reasons but also to their busy schedules. Many, like myself, work long hours to support their child.

I do agree that sometimes WIC does make formula acess too easy and that discourages the mothers from breastfeeding. They should discuss with women everywhere the benefits of breastfeeding. I'm sure not many women are aware of that. However, the women who do apply are usually financially lacking and therefore must work daily. WIC only loans out a LIMITED amount of pumps. I have a college degree, a stable career, and great health insurance but that also means my checks are smaller due to taxes and insurance. If I'm struggling, imagine what it's like for others who don't have what I have. How would they buy or rent a pump? Thus, free formula seems to be their only option.

I won't deny that some do take advantage of the system, but it's NOT everybody.

Every woman should do what feels comfortable to her and she shouldn't have to make the choice based on the price of formula. Forcing poor women to breastfeed would be a little like slavery.

And yes I did breastfeed my child, but my mom couldn't manage to do so with me or any of my brothers and we grew up just fine - and that was before formula in cans...

I work closely with the WIC program, I actually work for Extension.

I agree, I don't think they push breast feeding enough, however, breast feeding is a choice. Choosing not to breast feed is very selfish, in my opinion, but who knows I am just the educator. (remember we all have our opinion, that is what this is about.)

If WIC did not give formula to low income mothers, then we would have alot more babies drinking cows milk to early, to many babies eating cereal and solids before they are 6 months old and ALOT of doctor and hospital bills from patients who are probably on medicaid.

NOT ALL SITUATIONS ARE LIKE THIS, but some are.........

I think there needs to be more education. I am actually going back to school to be a peer to peer lactation consultant, so I am totally with you on this!

A few years ago, on daytime tv, I saw an ad......... Babies were born to be breast fed. I work now through the day, but wonder if they still play the ad??

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ADDED ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have to add, several of you are right, it is difficult to breast feed and work, and some, about 5% of women physcially can't breast feed. Others think they can not, because they need to be relaxed for their milk to come in, to actually feed the baby, and some can't, for their own reasons, do this.

If you have to go back to work (or school), Why not give your baby the best start, by breastfeeding for the first 6 weeks or so? I know alot of women who can't pump at work, for whatever reason, and formula feed their babies while at day care and breast feed their babies while they are at home.

You may find this link below interesting

with my first so I was unable to breastfeed, and I will try again when this one is born but if it doesn't work than I will have to formula feed. You have to remember that not every woman can breastfeed. Also it is each individuals choice not your choice to tell them what to do. Maybe formula feeding works better for them. My mother in law breastfeed until my husband was 2 mo then stoped because he started getting teeth. Different cercumstances for everyone you never know what might be going on. Maybe they are on prescriptions that can be passed through the breast milk.

They helped me with breast feeding by providing me a pump to use. I was still in school and had a month to finish out the year. This really helped for a while. I breast fed for 8 weeks...but at around then i had to start putting some formula in because i wasn't producing enough milk to fill my big boy up. Then eventually my supply just ran out. It was nice once it did that they would help me formula feed also, because i really couldn't help what happened in my case.

shouldnt it be the mothers decision... why should the government force women to breastfeed???

how or why do/should they have any right to do so.

Everyone pays taxes, even the poor. It is their money anyway, just as it is yours.

Kudos to you for breastfeeding, but it doesnt make you better.

And by the way, I am not a formula mom, but I still consider your way of thinking offensive.

I don't know about WIC currently, but 5 years ago they were generally anti-breastfeeding. This was the attitude of the workers, not so much the program. As the culture changes, so will the people working at WIC.

Well I formula feed and breastfeed.
Formula because he goes to day care. He took formula first becuse he was on NICU, and i was sick with a cold and they kept him awy from me

Not everyone is able to breastfeeed, and not all babies will breastfeed.
WIC is there to educate and support those mothers who are breastfeeding so they do promote it. But they are also there for the mothers who cannot BF and offer to help them with formula since its so expensive.
I know many women who do no qualify for WIC because they make something like $25 over the income limit, cannot breastfeed and go hungry themselves in order to provide formula for their child.
We don't always know everyone's circumstances and I find it appauling anyone would judge people's choice and method of feeding their child. All that matters is that child is getting fed, not how. Its discusting to think of how many children die of starvation in this world but we have to argue and try to belittle women for how they feed their children.

I love WIC! I breastfeed, but my daughter is a premie and has to be on a special formula that you get at the pharmacy and Wic pays for that. Otherwise I would go broke paying for that expensive formula. They do support breastfeeding but they also support feeding a baby no matter what.

I worked for WIC as a nutritionist. My staff and I worked hard to teach and promote the benefits of breastfeeding. When a pregnant mother comes in, we end our conversation about how she wants to feed her child. I always told my participants that even one feeding of breast milk is better than none and to just give it a try. We also had classes about how to breastfeed and the health benefits with breastfeeding that participants had to complete before receiving vouchers.

Many moms often decide and base their decision on breastfeeding by what their experience is like after they give birth while they are still in the hospital. Sometimes we do not see moms and their babies until their baby is a couple of weeks old. By then most moms who are formula feeding do not want to switch over to breastfeeding and as a nutritionist we have to support their decision, we cannot force a mom to breastfeed.

Many moms who work have barriers to breastfeeding. Some employers do not offer a place for a mom to pump her milk. Some moms are forced to either not pump or use a bathroom to pump their milk. Some mothers are on medications with terrible side effects and are left with the decision to quit the medication to breastfeed or to formula feed. Some mothers do not have any family support and decide to stop nursing because of the lack of support they receive from family members. As a nutritionist, my job is to make sure babies are fed appropriately, whether it is formula or breast milk. I can talk and promote breastfeeding until I am blue in the face, but if a mother has made up her mind to not breastfeed, their is nothing that I can do but offer her formula. Formula is better than homemade concoctions of formula, or goats milk or regular cows milk.

For moms who want to breastfeed, we do everything to keep that mom breastfeeding. We offer pumps (manual, electric and even hospital grade pumps) to encourage mothers to continue breastfeeding. For moms who are having problems with breastfeeding, we have a lactation consultant on staff. We also have peer breastfeeding counselors who are especially trained to help with minor questions about breastfeeding when a nutritionist is not able to take a call.

Some mothers decide to formula feed and breastfeed, especially moms who are unable to pump when at work. In these instances vouchers are given but a mom may receive less formula than if she were only formula feeding.

Some babies are born prematurely and are in the hospital for several months or are born with clefts that make nursing extremely difficult. We encourage pumping and lactation consults for these situations, but with the difficulty of the situation many of these babies eventually end up on formula.

I hope this helps clarify some of the reasons why WIC offers formula. I do agree that some clinics could promote a little better but until society changes its views about breastfeeding (this includes employers allowing women to pump and to stay home with their infant for more than the standard 6 weeks) WIC will have to keep handing out vouchers for formula.