In a message dated 95-07-31 22:45:38 EDT, you write:

>I think we have to keep in mind the group of people we're talking about.
>Though there are some very motivated women in this group that do continue to
>exclusively BF for 6 months or longer, the majority do not.  They begin the
>introduction of other foods,  breastmilk is no longer the mainstay of the
>infants' diet.  Since this is the case, for this group of babies,
>supplementation of vitamin C is necessary.  Although receiving vit. C from
>fruits and veggies is the best possible route, lack of money, facilities,
>cooking equipment, etc. may make it impossible for this group.

I may be over reacting here, but I just have to say that I feel that this
generalization is very unfair.  I am a WIC mom, and I know many WIC families
that do not fit into your *group*.  We need to be careful when we lump a
group of people into one category.  Not everyone on WIC is in your majority
of nutrient deficiency, and not all of the babies need vit. C
supplementation.  Not everyone in your *group* is lacking in facilities,
cooking equipment, etc..  Just because we are low income, doesn't mean that
we are 'low' socially.  I am on WIC because I chose to stay home and raise my
children in a stable environment, as did the majority of the WIC moms I am in
contact with.   I am on WIC because my husbands employers feel that it is not
necessary to pay my husband what he is worth.  We get by, barely, when it
comes to the $$, but we live in a nice house in a nice neighborhood.  To look
at my family, you would never know that our income puts us at the poverty
level.
Yes, I know that there are people out there on WIC who fall into your
generalizations, and I realize that those are the ones you are probably
talking about.  However, your generalization of WIC recipients was, in my
opinion, unfair and a bit insensitive.  Please keep in mind that in every
*group* there are those (and perhaps more than one would realize) that do not
fit the stereotype the group has been saddled with.

Off the Box of Generalizations
Janet
WIC mom,  WIC Peer Councelor, LC in Training