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Date: | Fri, 29 Apr 2005 08:32:19 EDT |
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The discussion regarding the Institute of Medicine's new report on WIC is
certainly welcome, but breastfeeding support within the program still has
shortcomings. I wrote an article in the May 2002 issue of JHL describing specific
recommendations for remodeling some of WIC's breastfeeding components.
Formula rebates fund over 27% of the food packages given to WIC participants. This
dependence on formula money to feed WIC participants presents both ethical
and financial conflicts in how WIC specifies the allotment of money and
resources. My article recommended many changes. Here are a few:
1. Amend legislation so that the first food package offered under
participants' benefits is breast milk and the support services necessary to ensure that
a mother can fully breastfeed her infant
2. Amend food package II (infants 4-12 months of age) to eliminate the
excessive and unnecessary amounts of fruit juice allocated to this age group
3. Require that all WIC state breastfeeding coordinators possess the IBCLC
credential
4. Amend regulations so that the position of breastfeeding coordinator of
each local program is dedicated ONLY to overseeing breastfeeding activities and
not combined with other duties.
5. All WIC programs should have paid staff to carry out the mandated
breastfeeding support programs including peer counselors and access to IBCLCs
There are many more. Until USDA, WIC, and Congress recognize that access to
human milk and breastfeeding are important parts of nutrition programs,
formula subsidies, rivers of fruit juice that rot teeth and cause overweight in
children will continue to be distributed. Intense lobbying by the American Dairy
Council, cereal manufacturers, fruit juice manufacturers, etc have resulted
in cereal being distributed when the infant is 4 months of age, even though
it has been linked with increased rates of diabetes.
It's not just the food packages that need to be overhauled, the whole
structure of WIC works against providing WIC employees with the tools necessary to
help breastfeeding mothers with what they really need.
Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA
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