Hello Lactnetters! Just couldn't resist to comment on the WIC discussions over the past few days. We are excited about our own "Baby Fair", we're calling it our "Summer WICFest". We're promoting our program (and in our office, with 2 IBCLC's, that's synonymous with BF promotion!!!), as well as community resources for our participants. We're having a few booths, incl. LLL, and NO ABM's represented. Our agency is also a rental station (with sliding fee scale, esp. for WIC folks), that will have a booth too. We're having a fire truck, a clown, games, face-painting, free (nutritious) munchies & drinks, etc. Most of these items have even been donations! Re the giveaway pumps, we have seen a negative reaction in our clinic. The health professionals used to give manual pumps to anyone who BF or requested. The clerical staff said they were getting LOTS of calls from BF moms asking for ABM because they didn't have enough/any milk. This was, of course, determined by using the pump 1-2x, and "only" getting a small amount of milk--and many were not even using the pump correctly. This issue has been addressed at the state level, and as a result, we will soon have a "contract" to be signed when a manual pump is issued. The mom is shown HOW to use the pump, given some guidelines as to it's use, and where to call if any questions or problems. ANY pump question is referred to either IBCLC, we ask WHY they need a pump, so as to direct them to what's available to fit their need. BTW, since starting our rental station last May, we have rented pumps to 41 WIC moms, for a total of 122 months. Our rate of BF moms is 54%, which means that when we certified the mom & baby for the program, 54% were BF!). Also, I have been getting a lot of comments on my new license plate "BB2BRST". Can you figure it out? I love parking in our lot & making it visible to all who come to our clinic & WIC Program! Sandy Arnold BS, IBCLC