the question is asked " what would happen if WIC did not provide formula at 
all?"

and earlier perhaps implied that if WIC did not or never did provide formula 
there would be more women breastfeeding. 


but we're looking at this as if the only choice were between breastmilk and 
formula milk. 


if we can get some perspective from the generations among us, consider that 
babies in the recent past had been fed karo syrup and water or cow's milk right 
out of the carton with solids starting as early as 2 weeks. Babies drink milk 
and milk is milk is milk. 


I mentioned Orange soda in my original post not to be snarky but because in WIC 
I've heard women say they feed their babies orange soda, jello water, kool aid 
and and other things. In the minds of many of the population we serve the choice 
is not limited to formula vs. breastfeeding. 


As with many things the WIC dilemma is not as simple as it seems. Nikki mentions 
studies that "identifies that initiation and duration of breastfeeding is lower 
in the
WIC population". I have to wonder is this specifically WIC participants BECAUSE 
they are WIC participants or is it the low income, less educated, young 
population that makes up much of the WIC clients?

When I heard Katherine Genna Watson in a breastfeeding conference describe 
how caged circus  tigers don't care for their young, including feeding them, as 
well as their wild cousins do,  due to the stress of poor care and confinement I 
understand more how the WIC population feels about breastfeeding. When my baby 
was born, I had the luxury of time to spend figuring out how to make 
breastfeeding work, my client who needs to return to her job two weeks following 
birth doesn't. My client who is just trying to figure out where she will live 
since she is being thrown out of her current arrangement is more worried about 
having a safe place to call home than how she will breastfeed. If she ends up 
living in a group arrangement it really depends a great deal on the other people 
in that group as to if she will feel safe, supported and able to breastfeed. 


In a perfect world every baby would be planned and every mommy and daddy would 
take responsibility for raising that baby into a loving, productive citizen. but 
in our world, babies happen, mommies are not ready, and daddies sometimes don't 
stick around. 


It's not as simple as WIC not giving formula. It's not only WIC that needs to 
change from the inside out, society does. 


Heidi DiBacco 
IBCLC in WIC 

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