Marsha,
Go visit with the WIC staff.  If they are based in your hospital, they
are providing services to your clientele.  In Texas, WIC staff are
required by policy to follow the WHO code.  They do not display formula
where clients can see it; they do not accept gifts from marketing reps;
they do not use marketing packs to carry their lunches, nor wear the
badge holders given out by the marketing reps.  Women must be given a
breastfeeding lesson while pregnant, and staff is trained to handle
normal breastfeeding management questions.

The issue "giving out free formula" is a sensitive one.  Mothers often
don't realize that WIC is a *supplemental* program.  Mothers who choose
to bottlefeed are not given all of their babies' needs.  Mothers are
encouraged to breastfeed in many ways.  Just look to see if your WIC
gives out information booklets by marketing companies or has their
posters on the wall.  In Texas, they do not.

There should be nothing in your WIC clinic that would jeopardize your
efforts to become Baby Friendly.  In fact, they should be happy to
assist you in your efforts.

--
Jeanne Mitchell, Austin, TX
http://www.flash.net/~xanth/home.htm
mailto:[log in to unmask]
"You can tell the quality of a person by how
they treat people they don't need." My Dad