If I've touched a nerve.  Sorry.
Jill, your points are well taken.  My original point was that by offering
breastfeeding packages for X amount of time, WIC at the same time sends
the message that breastfeeding is only necessary for X amount of time.
It's about endorsement. When I was young, single, and pregnant, that time
period was only six months.   Message:  breastfeeding is important for
the first six months only.  If it were important beyond that, you'd get
benefits for beyond that. There is still the issue of money saved
directly due to breastfeeding, if we're going to talk about taxpayer
dollars.  I'm also a taxpayer, and I know how much money bfing can save
*me* and *you*.  I know a young, single mom who wanted badly to
breastfeed, but in our small town simply couldn't get appropriate
assistance.  She was on WIC throughout her pregnancy and after, but they
did not help her or encourage her even when she asked for breastfeeding
advice.  As a result, she ended up formula feeding, her son had to be on
predigested ABM,(@ 17 bucks a can) and had to stay on it for the first
TWO years of life, docs orders.  Yes, WIC paid for it for the entire
time, too.  As someone else pointed out, and I'm sure you know, not all
WIC moms are also entitled to other public assistance, as WIC's income
guidelines are more lenient.  Some WIC offices offer common sense
"extras", like nursing bras and pump usage. Many don't. The money is
already budgeted, and often is not used for what it is intended (i.e.
breastfeeding promotion and support). I'm sure the number of extended
breastfeeders on WIC is tiny, but aren't those extended breastfeeders
saving US money? (again, I was referring to local WIC offices that offer
breastfeeding food pkgs. for six months only, but I also believe that the
longer the baby breastfeeds, the more money saved in general).  If the
number of extended breastfeeders at our local WIC is tiny (and the
general bfing rate is low as it is) I can tell you, from personal
experience, it is becaue our WIC office is simply NOT doing anything in
the area of breastfeeding promotion, education, and support. Hopefully
your office is different.  Ours is seriously lacking, and a little
incentive to the moms in an area with bfing rates such as ours seems like
a very good idea. It took me a YEAR to get them to simply put up a
breastfeeding poster, and longer than that to get them to even consider a
peer counselor program (which still is only half heartedly existing).
Surely a mom might lie to get benefits longer, but by the same token,
might that mom lie about breastfeeding during the first year, switch baby
to cow's milk early on advice of ignorant peers, and keep the bfing
package benefits?  I've personally seen that happen.

Sheri, taxpayer who'll gladly give tax dollars to see moms breastfeed for
the first two years minimum, mama to Adrian, age 4, former single welfare
WIC mom, breastfeeding zealot, and wife-to-be of Jon.