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Wed, 7 Nov 2007 08:43:59 +0000 |
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In the UK, mothers whose income/state benefits are low enough receive
vouchers which they can exchange for milk and for fresh fruit and
vegetables. You can read about 'Healthy Start' here:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandguidance/Healthandsocialcaretopics/Maternalandinfantnutrition/DH_4112476
or http://tinyurl.com/2b3co5
This replaced the Welfare Foods scheme which had been in place since
WW2, and which allowed mothers in similar situations vouchers to
exchange for milk only. Trouble was, the *monetary value* of the
vouchers was greater if they were exchanged for formula. They could
be exchanged for bottled odinary full-fat milk, but the monetary
value was less, which we argued over years and years was
discrimnatory to women who did not formula feed.
Eventually, we have the current system, which most of us are happy
with, as it equalises the monetary benefit to breastfeeders and
formula feeders, though some people would like to see formula taken
off the voucher scheme altogether.
Formula is no longer sold from public health clinics, which is also a
good thing.
My personal view is that any benefits should be the same for both
breastfeeding and formula feeding mothers and no one should be worse
off for breastfeeding. Seems to me that WIC in the US could give
similar vouchers to breastfeeding mothers, so formula feeders were
not seen as getting something free.
The idea that formula should be *on prescription only* fills me with dread!
We got into this mess in the first place because of medical
interference with infant feeding choices! This was then backed up by
marketing.
No - leave doctors out of this one, please! Doctors' role should be
to support breastfeeding and to educate on the health impact of
infant feeding, and to resist any attempts of the formula
manufacturers to market their wares.
Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK
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