Re: biggest increase in nsg moms among WIC clients:
"all we have to do is get them ALL past 6 weeks!"

Sadly, we were actually doing a lot better with that goal, at least here in
New York, before the changes in welfare that have come about in the last
couple of years. Now my colleagues at WIC tell me they hear a lot of "Well,
I *was* going to breastfeed, but I'm required to go back to work after 6
weeks or I'll lose my benefits, and it just doesn't seem like it will be
worth it for such a short time, so..."

Good time to eliminate your breastfeeding coordinator, huh? But the truth
that the actual statistics from the local agency would tell will never be
known, because without the BF Coordinator to gather *accurate* numbers, and
compile meaningful reports, the numbers will be untrustworthy and
meaningless. Not to mention that without a BF Coordinator to train and
manage the peer counselor program, and handle the in-depth BF education, and
help women trouble-shoot any BF problems, I don't think we can really expect
those numbers to keep rising.

Bitter? Moi? Not a bit of it - just saying what's true in my little corner
of the world!

Cathy Bargar, RN, IBCLC Ithaca NY

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