Dear Lactnetters:

I liked this discussion so much, I shared highlights with my WIC team.

I work with quite possibly the world's best WIC team. The important
difference in the WIC situation versus the informal setting is that it IS
our legal responsibility to keep our WIC clients' breastfeeding rates as
close to 100% as possible through support. 

WIC does not exist to provide formula; it only recognizes it as being the
best alternative to severe malnutrition for infants for whom breastmilk is
not being made available. However, if we can see a way to make breastmilk
available, we are obligated to try to remove the barriers to its provision.

"Support" to breastfeed is qualitatively different from "convincing," which
assumes an adversarial position in a debate. 

Support is not passive, but very proactive on behalf of our clients, both
mothers and children. True support takes a great deal of assertiveness and
energy. We create an environment where breastfeeding is seen as the right of
all mothers and infants. We celebrate every breastfeeding as a victory for
our clients.

The difference between "convincing" and "support" has been neatly outlined
this week by both Kirsten Berggren and Catherine Watson Genna's recap of
Cathy Carother's 3 Steps. 

There will always be rare medical and psychological situations that preclude
some mothers from breastfeeding. Although our goal is 100% breastmilk-fed
babies, we will only achieve this when human milk banks are fully actualized
here in the U.S. When WIC partners with milk banks instead of formula
companies, that 100% will be possible.

Clearly our country needs to make milk banking a priority for those few, and
for the rest, we will continue to support women to make the best health
decisions they can for themselves and their children.

Arly Helm, MS, IBCLC
Enjoying autumn in the Sierra Nevada mountains

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