> Many WIC people on LactNet, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't WIC
> provide food coupons for mom as long as she is BFing? In other words,
> mom *also* can eat (food obtained from WIC coupons) as long as she BFs;
> if she doesn't BF, baby will be fed (formula) but not mom (no more WIC
> coupons for her). Has this changed? Is it different according to each
> WIC location?
>


Katherine,

It not only depends on WIC location but it also depends on case load.
The WIC agency I worked for provided coupons to non-nursing moms for up
to 6wks postpartum.  If the case load was low, than those moms could
still receive coupons for up to 6 months.  However, breastfeeding moms
were priority one and they had different food packages for breastfeeding
moms depending on if they were exclusively breastfeeding or partially
breastfeeding.  If a mom was only breastfeeding 1-2 times a day, she
could still receive a breastfeeding package as long as she was
breastfeeding (up to 1 year) and receive formula at the same time.
Caseloads varied from clinic to clinic.  The first cuts to be made if
the clinic was at case load were non breastfeeding moms after 6wks post.
and then children starting at age 5 then age 4. At least that is the
case in IL.

Assunta Osterholt, IBCLC