My apologies to those of you who live outside of the US.  But, I felt a
need to clarify some issues about WIC (a supplemental food and nutrition
education program for poor Women, Infants, and Children in the US).

Some clarifications about WIC policies on a national level (actual
practices do vary from state to state, town to town).

WIC *will* pay for the rental of breast pumps.  Many WIC agencies own
electric breast pumps that they loan to moms (free).  Others will contract
with a local provider to rent a pump (WIC pays for the rental).  Probably
more agencies have manual pumps (because they are less expensive)
and will give these to moms who need to pump short term.  The way to
change your local WIC program is to convince the local WIC coordinator
of the importance of breastfeeding (unfortunately not all coordinators are
breastfeeding friendly - even though some of their staff might be - and it
is the coordinator who controls the money).

It *is* frustrating that the US government spends so much money on
formula.  There is a delicate balance we must work with to change this
practice.  Until the cultural norm changes to breastfeeding, many moms
will continue to choose to bottle feed.  But, how do we change the
culture to a breastfeeding norm, while still protecting the bottle fed
babies?  (Let's not punish the babies for a choice their mom made).   If
we suddenly stop providing formula, some babies *will* suffer.  I do not
have a solution for this.

We are working hard to speak of breastfeeding as the norm in our WIC
clinics.  We are not yet perfect, but I have seen great improvements in
the last five years.  I would *love* if all WIC moms breastfed - the
numbers are increasing and I have to continue to look at that as a good
sign for the future.

Debi VanderMey Barr, MS, RD, LD
Breastfeeding Promotion Coordinator
Oregon WIC Program
Portland, Oregon