After reading my most recent Lactnet digest, I just have to throw in my
story. I have worked with Ga. Dist. 4 WIC for four years. I was hired as
temp part-time to fill in for the 1 IBCLC they had to cover our 12 counties
while she was on maternity leave. Because our director is very pro-BF, I was
allowed to be put on perm. part-time and they even increased my hours. In
time, I passed the IBCLE and began asking if I could be put on full-time.
The answer was that if I went through their parapro nutritionist course and
could start teaching nutrition classes and doing some secondary low risk
contacts, I would earn serious "brownie " points towards becoming full-time.
I was basically told that I would be full-time by the summer of 98. I kept
pushing and they kept stalling. This year, in Jan. I had to have a full-time
job due to personal circumstances, so I once again made my request.
I was told that because WIC was over budget for the year, no I could not go
full-time. Our district head told the WIC director that the benefits were
too much to pay for my services. Keep in mind that the woman who was left
with the program is still the ONLY LC for 12 counties. She took her IBCLE
this year, and I am sure she passed, but how can she help that many people,
effectively? The message I and all others in my district got was the BF was
just not important enough for another couple of thousand dollars a year.
What made me the maddest of all is that the head of my local county health
dept. was recently fired in order for the board of directors to consolidate
some positions. (Instead of having a DON and an adminstrative head, they
were combining the jobs)
Because this person ( who has NO degree, BTW) knew many influencial people in
our county, she started a movement of people calling the local news and
complaining. So, instead of sticking by their guns and defending their
budget, they took her back as a district employee - CREATED a very WELL paid
position for her and gave her my old office. So, I who have worked hard over
the last 4 years and actually accomplished some things - and I am finishing
my last year for my bachelor's degree, had to find another job totally
unrelated to BF and/or nutriton.
Of course, I feel cheated and used (welcome to the real world, I guess) and
am wondering (as are many other people in this district) how they were able
to suddenly come up with the money to pay her (which is about twice as much
as I would have been making, fulltime). It has really left me with a sour
attitude about the public health system.
OTOH, I also do recognize the importance of WIC supplying formula to some of
these moms. I agree that poor doesn't equal stupidity, but I have seen many,
many WIC participants who know the benefits of BF and refuse to do so because
they want to get their lives back to "normal" as soon as possible after the
birth. And BF is inconvenient to them as they can't hand off their baby to
their moms and leave for a day or two-can't leave the breasts behind, but can
leave a bottle.
And I have seen many moms and dads come in for more milk after theirs ran out
even after they are told WIC is a supplemental program. I have even heard
some say they will just have to go buy a gallon of milk to make it through,
since they don't want to work to get $ for formula. That's when I always
stated, in a nice quiet way, that br. milk is free. What makes me very
frustrated is parents who choose to remain ignorant because it's convenient.
Ok, I'm through. whew!
Amanda Austin, IBCLC
Griffin, GA
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