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3rd Trimester
WIC going to stop providing formula
This discussion has been closed.
Re: WIC going to stop providing formula
They are required to provide space (that is not a bathroom!) and time for moms to pump. I have written many letters to compaines in my area explaining the law and have only had 2 who gave me or the mom any trouble after that. Both times it had to do w/ space and the moms were allowed to sit in their cars to pump.
Whether or not someone is a good mother has nothing to do with the way she feeds her child. You kind of suck for even saying that. My issue with this is that I hate to see a child go hungry all for saving a buck.
DD #1 passed away in January 2011 at 14 days old due to congenital heart disease
DD#2 lost in January 2012 at 23 weeks due to anhydramnios caused by a placental abruption
Really, in this economy you don't think that's a sure fire way to ensure that the mom you are forcing to BF is the one that coincidentally gets "let go" at work? You are not there with these women working every day, you don't know exactly how they are being treated or what they are being allowed to do at work- no matter how many letters you write. The fact of the matter is that it is often very difficult for women in many hourly jobs to pump or BF- they face challenges that those of us with cushy office jobs could never imagine. You'd think if these women had to choose between BFing and working, the state would want to encourage these women to work. In a way it counter-intuitively encourages further dependence on welfare.
I know that at my local hospital the LC are free of charge. I would hope that LC are provided and encourage mothers to BF if possible. If WIC does not offer formula I would hope that they would with a dr.'s note as well as provide a pump for working mothers.
We all know the benefits of BF and I am sure the state was looking at that as well. I would like to see it "encouraged" but if it is not possible or if the mother is going to drink I would prefer the state to provide formula. Bottom line the babies needs come first.
If she has a VERY good job and a college education, then why is she getting gov't assistance?
I'm on WIC and I plan on BFing and not using formula at all. My WIC does provide a very nice pump, Ameda Purely Yours but you have to apply after the baby is born. I'm not sure how they choose but I will be returning to work & school after she is born and do not want to use formula. I went to a class on Monday and they also said if you're a strictly BFing mom they will provide you with more infant cereal and baby food then they would with women who don't. So basically they really want everyone to breast feed.
I kinda feel like if you're low on money you should try to BF if you can (I understand some people just won't produce milk or have latching problems) but WIC is providing women with pumps and a lot more food too if you do this.
Why can't they just make more effort to educate women on the benefits of breastfeeding, instead of cutting off offering formula? Maybe if they invested more of the money from the system in providing the education from lactation consultants and the health and cost benefits of breastfeeding, more women would do it and they would in turn save money by not having to offer as much formula. At least ease people into the situation instead of cutting off the formula right away.
Unfortunately this is going to create problems where people are not going to give their infants the correct ratio of formula to water so that they can stretch it to go farther. Case in point was the undernourished/malnutrioned infant in TX earlier this year.
I agree with pp - I don't think it has as much to do with bf as the bottom dollar but they aren't going to come right out and state it.
A doctor's note stating that the mother must use formula will likely suffice for those who cannot medically BF. I used to have people ask me all the time for prescriptions for certain BRANDS of formula (NC's WIC gave out Enfamil, MA's does Good Start). There is no MEDICAL reason to use Similac over Enfamil, etc, so I would refuse that (some WIC moms didn't like using the WIC preferred brand due to stigma - poor moms use Enfamil, rich moms use Similac, etc). And you needed an Rx for soy based (I can count the number of truly lactose intolerant infants on one hand) or others. High cal or preemie formulas are another story (and also needed an Rx) - I wrote those Rx's regularly.
But I like the idea of pushing BF'ing. But the laws and employers must support it. Regular breaks for pumping, a place to pump, etc. And to be fair, ***I*** am using a hand pump. Will use a electric later, but have been hand pumping for over a week and have NO supply problems with it.
Also I doubt that it will be so black and white. Like people have said, you can be on medication that does not allow you to bf. I am sure there will be exceptions to the rule.
Just a thought on the "what about the moms that can't pump at work thing"
Many, many states have laws requiring that employers provide both time and space for pumping (CO does). IMO, in those states, not providing formula with WIC is reasonable. In states where laws like this don't exist, taking away the formula benefit is likely unreasonable
~Working Mom~Breastfeeding Mom~Cloth Diapering Mom~BLW Mom~
Blog - No Longer on the DL ~ The Man Cave
Shawn and Larissa
LO #1 - Took 2 years and 2 IVFs ~ DX - severe MFI mild PCOS homozygous MTHFR (a1298c)
LO #2 - TTC 7 months, surprise spontaneous BFP!
I am not forcing anyone to do anything! If they choose to BF then I'm there to help then in every posible way. I go the the hospital. I go to their houses. I call the LCs for them. I call their jobs. I write letters. They have more offered to them in this regard than mom who cannot get wic and are on their own. In my expierence, the woman w/ the more cushy jobs (teacher aids, CNAs, ets.) have more problems w/ their bosses then the moms who work at the local grocery store in regards to getting the time and space to pump. The point is almost moot anyway b/c 80% of the moms I work with SAH. I'm not guessing...that's a fact. This is just what I see everyday!
If they choose not to BF then they can buy forumla. If they have a medical reason that they cannot BF and qualify for assistance THEN I think WIC should provide it, but not until then.
have a good day everyone.
Cmeon, I agree very well put.
I also want to ask OP: Have you been to the WIC site for IN? For this to change, a Federal change would have to be proposed and approved and that is highly unlikely as they cannot force a woman to do something that her body may potentially not be able to physically do in some cases. I wouldn't worry about it, but if you are, I would contact a representative at the dept of health about it.
I agree,
also since when did breast feeding become a "luxury" seriously years and years down the line did we forget that breast feeding at one point was the only way? maybe it just depends on the mind frame and determination. I know drs, nurses, contruction workers, and women who work in all fields . who pull long tireing hrs and still find some way to PUMP.... lets try another argument people
My husband has an okay job and I'm a SAH and we did not qualify for WIC. However, we did qualify for medicaid in our state and that will give me a hospital grade pump if my doctor fills out a form. I will breastfeed mostly because its good for the baby but believe me, money came into the decision. We would be hard pressed to buy anything more expensive than the cheapest store brand out there.. and we are above the poverty level.
One women said that the people on WIC pay taxes too - I guess she doesn't understand the US tax structure very well. If you are at or below the poverty level guess what? You pay very little, if anything in taxes.
I think Indiana is on the right track - as long as there are provisions for those medically unable to BF and pumps/LC are included. I think if there really are enough non-compliant workplaces that WIC/Doctors/Hospitals should also include information to BF moms on who to contact to report them. If such a number/gov. department doesn't exist, it needs to be created if they are making this change.
If parents try to stretch formula and malnourish their babies, then they are unfit and the children should be taken away to loving adoptive parents. End of story.