I work for WIC and just had a discussion in the office about this. Formula
is the most expensive item we offer. We might expect it to skew our numbers
in the opposite direction resulting in lower BF #'s.

Exclusive BF mothers do get larger food benefit and can remain on WIC for a
up to a year postpartum compared to 6 mos. for non breastfeeding women. The
larger benefit received by the mothers does not have a higher monetary
value compared with the amount of formula that would need to be purchased.

WIC is showing increase in initiation, exclusivity and duration of
breastfeeding. All staff both professional and support have received
education regarding promotion and support of breastfeeding.  Everyone in
this office is on board with the same message concerning breastfeeding
which is very important. WIC BF numbers are low compared to the general
public but they are increasing!  There is much work to be done to
accommodate pumping during the work day in a variety of employment
settings. Having an enforceable workplace law allowing sufficient time to
pump would help BF rates everywhere. (Preaching to the choir here!)


Allison Laverty Montag BA, RLC, IBCLC
Wisconsin, USA


Heather writes:
"A colleague has sent this:

http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/2014breastfeedingreportcard.pdf

How robust is the collection of the data?

I ask, because the exclusive breastfeeding figures seem very high indeed."


I'm wondering this too. It seems high for my area. 38% exclusively
breastfeeding at 6 months? Maybe, but I'm not seeing it. However, it could
just be that other areas in my state are higher and maybe it's accurate.

They get most of the data from the immunization and birth records. Also,
some comes from the WIC program, I believe. That's a program to give food
and formula to low income mothers of small children.

I'm worried about the accuracy also, because recently the WIC program
changed their food packages and now gives a lot more food to the
breastfeeding women who are not receiving formula through the program
(which is a good idea). However, I've heard that some women are beginning
to figure out that this food package is worth more than the formula
package. So they are stating that they are exclusively breastfeeding,
taking the food and then using their food stamps to buy formula. This is
going to skew the data collection. I hope that isn't what's happening and
these numbers are real. We are working hard to increase them!

Tricia Shamblin, RN, IBCLC
Waukegan, Illinois

-- 
"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we often might win, by
fearing to attempt."
William Shakespeare
Measure for Measure

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