I agree with Pearl that many women don't need incentives to breastfeed -
however, here in WIC we have had a drop in moms who say they breastfeed as the
value of the package they receive is perceived to be less than those who say
they bottle feed.

I don't really know if there has been an actual drop in the number of
breastfeeding moms - as the definition of bf for WIC is once a day - so even
those who SAID they were breastfeeding may not have been bf much.  But it has
been brought to our attention many times that "they only give more peanut butter
(not a very Puerto Rican food), tuna (ditto), beans, carrots and milk (too
much)."

Remembering that one mom who came to see me sold the formula in her package
(obviously stating she was NOT breastfeeding) to pay for her visit, it is clear
that the value of the package is important.   We try to encourage and give pats
on the back - which can be very important to anyone, especially to the  young,
underpaid or unemployed moms.  We give them a sense of worth despite the fact
that they don't bring $$$ in.  But  a "healthier baby" is not easily measured
while the value of the package is.

Jeanette Panchula, BA-SW, RN, LLLL, IBCLC
Puerto Rico (70% of our moms are on WIC)
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