Tina,
In some WIC offices here in So Cal there is no free formula the first month so
moms have a much greater incentive to at least try bfing and get hooked on it.
Don't work for WIC myself, but have the opportunity to work with some
wonderful people who do run those programs.  The changes in bfing attitudes
(all for the better) over the past 12 years have been great.  Initially I
remember being asked as a LLLL to speak to a group of moms about bfing and
told I couldn't bring my nursing baby!  That was totally unacceptable and
horrible modeling too.  After a fair amount of discussion I got to bring my
sling held baby to address thhhhe group and discovered to my horror that they
(the moms) couldn't bring their babies either - to mandatory meetings no less!
So looking at out local offices now that have breastfeeding info plastering
all the walls, "incentive" prizes for breastfeeding milestones (to increase
duration) and lots of staff interest and support for these moms I am thrilled
by the advances in our local WIC offices.  Our county alone has 55,000 moms on
WIC so it has a major impact as to the health choices in our community.  Need
to get the county to cough up enough $$ to get our program heads to be able to
get internet and Lactnet access. We just keep plugging away....Last year for
WBW the buses in town sported a beautiful picture of a nursing couple for the
entire month of August rather than just the first week.  Many kudos to the
hard-working folks in So Cal WIC offices!
Gretchen Andrews, BA, LLLL, IBCLC
private practice, Redlands, CA