A new report on the effects that Federal welfare policies have had on
breastfeeding has been released from the Center for Public Information on Population
Research. This examined the rates of breastfeeding relative to the work
requirements for new mothers on welfare. Their results showed that if welfare reform
work requirements had not been adopted beginning in 1996, national
breastfeeding rates six months after birth would have been 5.5% higher than they were in
2000. Among WIC mothers living in the states with the most stringent welfare
work requirements, breastfeeding rates six months after birth 22% lower than
those of WIC mothers in other states. States that required 17-31 hours of work
for mothers with a six-month old and also withheld the entire family's
benefits if the work hours were not met (28 states) had the most dramatic impact on
breastfeeding rates.

The full report can be downloaded from: www.prb.org/cpipr

Haider SJ, Jacknowitz A, Schoeni RF. Welfare work requirements and child
well-being: evidence from the effects on breastfeeding. Demography 2003;
40(3):479-497

As if we did not have enough problems with breastfeeding.

Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA

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