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Date: | Thu, 8 Mar 2012 08:22:39 -0800 |
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the question is asked " what would happen if WIC did not provide formula at
all?"
and earlier perhaps implied that if WIC did not or never did provide formula
there would be more women breastfeeding.
but we're looking at this as if the only choice were between breastmilk and
formula milk.
if we can get some perspective from the generations among us, consider that
babies in the recent past had been fed karo syrup and water or cow's milk right
out of the carton with solids starting as early as 2 weeks. Babies drink milk
and milk is milk is milk.
I mentioned Orange soda in my original post not to be snarky but because in WIC
I've heard women say they feed their babies orange soda, jello water, kool aid
and and other things. In the minds of many of the population we serve the choice
is not limited to formula vs. breastfeeding.
As with many things the WIC dilemma is not as simple as it seems. Nikki mentions
studies that "identifies that initiation and duration of breastfeeding is lower
in the
WIC population". I have to wonder is this specifically WIC participants BECAUSE
they are WIC participants or is it the low income, less educated, young
population that makes up much of the WIC clients?
When I heard Katherine Genna Watson in a breastfeeding conference describe
how caged circus tigers don't care for their young, including feeding them, as
well as their wild cousins do, due to the stress of poor care and confinement I
understand more how the WIC population feels about breastfeeding. When my baby
was born, I had the luxury of time to spend figuring out how to make
breastfeeding work, my client who needs to return to her job two weeks following
birth doesn't. My client who is just trying to figure out where she will live
since she is being thrown out of her current arrangement is more worried about
having a safe place to call home than how she will breastfeed. If she ends up
living in a group arrangement it really depends a great deal on the other people
in that group as to if she will feel safe, supported and able to breastfeed.
In a perfect world every baby would be planned and every mommy and daddy would
take responsibility for raising that baby into a loving, productive citizen. but
in our world, babies happen, mommies are not ready, and daddies sometimes don't
stick around.
It's not as simple as WIC not giving formula. It's not only WIC that needs to
change from the inside out, society does.
Heidi DiBacco
IBCLC in WIC
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