In the UK, mothers whose income/state benefits are low enough receive 
vouchers which they can exchange for milk and  for fresh fruit and 
vegetables. You can read about 'Healthy Start' here: 
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandguidance/Healthandsocialcaretopics/Maternalandinfantnutrition/DH_4112476 

or http://tinyurl.com/2b3co5

This replaced the Welfare Foods scheme which had been in place since 
WW2, and which allowed mothers in similar situations vouchers to 
exchange for milk only. Trouble was, the *monetary value* of the 
vouchers was greater if they were exchanged for formula. They could 
be exchanged for bottled odinary full-fat milk, but the monetary 
value was less, which we argued over years and years was 
discrimnatory to women who did not formula feed.

Eventually, we have the current system, which most of us are happy 
with, as it equalises the monetary benefit to breastfeeders and 
formula feeders, though some people would like to see formula taken 
off the voucher scheme altogether.

Formula is no longer sold from public health clinics, which is also a 
good thing.

My personal view is that any benefits should be the same for both 
breastfeeding and formula feeding mothers and no one should be worse 
off for breastfeeding. Seems to me that WIC in the US could give 
similar vouchers to breastfeeding mothers, so formula feeders were 
not seen as getting something free.

The idea that formula should be *on prescription only* fills me with dread!

We got into this mess in the first place because of medical 
interference with infant feeding choices! This was then backed up by 
marketing.

No - leave doctors out of this one, please! Doctors' role should be 
to support breastfeeding and to educate on the health impact of 
infant feeding, and to resist any attempts of the formula 
manufacturers to market their wares.

Heather Welford Neil

NCT bfc, tutor, UK

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