"does Healthy Start track what the vouchers are used for?"

Apparently not, because they have been unable to tell me how much 
formula is bought with the vouchers.  But unfortunately it is 
perfectly possible for a low-income mother in the UK to save up her 
Healthy Start vouchers all during her pregnancy, and, together with 
the vouchers she receives after the baby arrives, to "spend" them 
entirely on formula ..... This means that the UK government 
effectively provides free formula to low income mothers, even if they 
effectively hand out the tins in shops rather than the clinics.  They 
also provide free formula to daycares and creches under the Nursery 
Milk Scheme for any baby who is in care for 2 hours or more a day.

Naturally, provision of these freebies sends out the message that 
breastfeeding is not terribly important - with predictable results - 
breastfeeding starts to fall off sharply in the first weeks after 
birth and only 1% of babies are not receiving any formula at all by 6 months.

Pamela Morrison IBCLC
Rustington, England


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