IF you haven't heard yet.. Republicans are looking into Cutting WIC funding by 10% Ok.. We agree.. WIC is costing a lot of unnecesary taxpayer money when it comes to easily providing formula you can read some of that on this great post by not so average hippie Mommy Formula Vs Breastfeeding: You might think it doesn't but it DOES concern you! She wrote that after reading and article stating that If all WIC babies in the U.S. were breastfed, our economical savings would be $33,000,000 per MONTH!
and here we are... Good old Politicians.. with the answer to all.. Let's cut WIC funding! Yaay! (rolls eyes)
I've been trying to research more on the subject I hear 10% in some places 30% in some .. I find articles suchs as this.. stating that
*WIC could see a 30% budget cut which would mean a reduction in staff and those eligible for it's services. Some 70% to 90% of funding for WIC goes toward employees wages and WIC would also have to re-evaluate who would need help the most with the reduction of resources because of its budget cut. I wonder if the 33 Mil a month would cover it?
Summary: How Budget Proposals Will Affect Food Programs
*Funds WIC at $6.5 billion, a cut of $747.2 million. The Food Research and Action Center estimates that the $6.5 billion funding level would be adequate to serve families currently receiving WIC and would not result in waiting lists for the program. However, this assumes level food prices and demand for services; if either of these increases substantially, this funding level might be insufficient to serve the current caseload. In addition, this funding level precludes the enhancement of the fruit and vegetables benefits for children.
*As it stands, the proposed cuts are deep indeed. The Women, Infants and Children program, which provides food for low-income pregnant women, mothers and young children, would receive a $758 million cut, about 10 percent. It was unclear whether the reductions would force people off of the program.
Read more: http://newsok.com/house-gop-chairman-outlines-sweeping-spending-cuts-affecting-wic-epa/article/3539409#ixzz1HGxZkh4H
This was googling, it didn't narrow down anything and I didn't find the answers I needed.. here are my questions:
HOW EXACTLY WILL THIS AFFECT WIC
I need straight answers, I got an e-mail the other day which is when I found out about it was a women crying about not being able to afford formula.. Wahh no pity from me there..
If it turns away people who need it I have a problem with that...
If it cuts workers from it.. I have a problem with that..
If it makes it so they can't afford the very few lactation consultants it has.. I have a problem with that..
I tell you what you can cut... Formula, how about you don't provide formula the first 3 months? Or.. make it available prescription only.. or switch to generic (not like having brand name formula is safer.. look at Similac and their bug parts)
How about you don't give people 90 jars of baby food at 6 months of age? I've NEVER used them! In the past six months I only cashed in 40 to keep in case of emergency. That is 500 JARS OF FOOD I saved you! Can you imagine someone really using 90 jars of baby food a month? anyway.. 20-30 should be plenty for most.
How about you reduce the amount of milk? I get so much milk in each coupon it's ridiculous!
WIC has been a great deal of help to me.I am so grateful the taxes I pay have helped me back.. (YES I pay Taxes too! I am a work at home mom who pays taxes quarterly! My husband pays taxes as well! ) . but even I don't use all of the coupons, I don't need that much baby food, I don't need that much cereal, I don't need that much milk.. I don't need that much juice.. . Veggies is another story more of those would be nice.. but if the budget cuts take those away it will be a sad sad day..
SO If WIC gets its funding cut.. please before you go laying people off.. turning people away, cutting produce vouchers.. Please.. Re evaluate how the money is being spent! Re-Budgeting vouchers would help keep those jobs and avoid turning people away. How sad would it be if WIC would come down to a waiting list!
One thing you can do if on WIC.. Breastfeed! Save coupons!
ONE MORE QUESTION: WHERE IS THE MONEY BEING CUT GOING TO??? I cannot seem to find any mention to that... I'm a taxpayer.. I want to know!
If you didn't follow any links please visit a new found gem! WIC WOES: An insider's look at WIC as a former employee and client. Awesome Blog!
OMG I love this post! I feel the same way! We use WIC in my home too, but having generic formula by Rx only would be perfect AND Ive asked on mult occaisons to just get $10 more a month in produce vs all that jarred baby food! YUCK AAAAND at 6 months all that jarred baby food is only allowed at stage 2- which is FAR to pureed for my baby anyways ICK
ReplyDeletelast thing, totally agree on all the MILK WTF?! Even with a toddler and me, we cannot possibly drink 5+ gallons of milk a month!
I wonder if we would just write to our congressmen/women about this or directly to the WIC programs themselves? What r ur thoughts??
The one thing I disagree with is making formula something you have to have a prescription (don't think that's the right word) for. Why? Whatever happened to choices? What about women who can't breastfeed for whatever reason? Every mother has the right to choose whether to breastfeed or formula feed (assuming she has that choice). Forcing people to have a special order for it in order to use WIC is placing more government control than necessary. Aren't we controlled by the government enough?
ReplyDeleteYes Kim, There's the choice of not using WIC don't want to abide by the rules? don't use it.. as well and someone could choose to buy formula those first 3 months if it pleases them.. If someone couldn't breastfeed for whatever reason that is what the prescription would be for.. they do that already when a baby needs High Caloric or soy formula. Yes Every Woman has a choice.. but why should tax payers have to pay for her choice? and if funds are going to be cut and some people turned away and some jobs terminated.. why should the money used for her choice affect them? Does that seem fair? and I am just talking about 3 months.. And I am mainly referring to the plethora of women And I know plenty sadly that don't "bother" breastfeeding since it's formula is free at WIC.. I am sure if it wasn't so easy to get.. a lot more would at least try to breastfeed those 3 months.
ReplyDeleteI am with you!! I never used the baby food checks with Tubs, or the baby cereal. For Karma I used some of the baby food jars but never the cereal. I rarely get the reg cold cereal for the kids because its just plain generic and while I don't feed them a bunch of sugary cereal we also can only eat so many plain off brand cheerios and corn flakes.
ReplyDeleteOur family actually uses all of the milk but we are a family of 6 haha.
This is what we use: all of the cheese, about 1/2 of the eggs, all of the milk, all of the juice for the kids checks (I don't buy the frozen crap with mine) all of the bread, all of the tuna/salmon and all of the fruit/veggies checks.
We never use the beans, cereal, peanut butter or condensed milk.
They need top cut out the unnecessary crud and keep the important stuff. Get rid of all the fillers like the cereal and beans and give a little more for fresh fruits/veggies. What kid honestly only eats $6 worth of fruit/veggies every month! My kids go through at least that in a week, probably double!
You technically already have to have a prescription to get formula on WIC. I only know this because I have had to heavily supplement formula with my twins and for my first WIC appointment I had to bring in a prescription from their pediatrician. Maybe that is only in my state? Problem is that they will write you a prescription if you ask, regardless if you tried nursing or not.
ReplyDeleteI wont to say that there should be stricter guidelines on who is allowed a prescription and who is not, but... that is a responsibility that I think the government is ill equipped to handle. There are honestly some women that can not handle breastfeeding from an emotional damage done to them. Such as sex abuse survivors. I know breastfeeding isnt sexual AT ALL (I breastfed my first 5 children and pump for my twins)but sometimes abuse can become a very real barrier to a woman with that sort of past.
Better training for the WIC lactation consultants (ours is grossly under educated)would be a reform I would support. As would cutting waaay down on the baby food, cereal, juice and other foods, supplementing instead foods people wouldn't normally buy. It is supposed to be helping poor people make better food choices after all.
The formula problem, and it is a problem, is hard one to figure out a solution to. I would like to see more restrictions applied but who are you going to trust to make that choice? Our government? The same ones that have told us for years to eat 11 yes ELEVEN servings of grain a day like we are some sort of pig getting fat for the slaughter? No, I dont think that would work out to well.
Very True Sasha!
ReplyDeleteYou're essentially saying women should be expected to breastfeed and almost *almost* imply a woman is an idiot if she chooses to not breastfeed (please correct me if I'm wrong). Why should ANY woman be forced or made to feel like crap if she actually decides to not breastfeed? While I understand there are better benefits to breastfeeding there are women for whatever personal reason do not WANT to. It doesn't make them selfish, horrible mothers. Just like you and others made the choice to breastfeed they have chosen not to.
ReplyDeleteSome women do need WIC, even if only temporary, and their choice to use formula vs breast should not be punished. Might as well say, "Well, if you're not going to breastfeed then we're not going to bother with giving you any assistance". Yea. Way to force one's beliefs/parenting style onto someone else. Programs like WIC are there to help, NOT force a certain way of feeding and raising a child.
Sasha, I was thinking of you and your twin boys while I was reading this post. I definitely agree that there needs to be more access to FREE education about breastfeeding. In Canada, a health nurse visited us two days after birth but she was not a mom, and had no idea how to achieve a good latch when I was asking her questions. Why would they not send someone who could help with breastfeeding? It is the single most important (and sometimes difficult) task for any new mother to wrap her mind around.
ReplyDeleteIf the WIC had knowledgeable and helpful lactation consultants available for home visits - I bet there would be a dramatic increase in successful breastfeeding in low-income families.
Great blog!! Love it and I totally agree!!
ReplyDeleteI stand by what I said.... women should breastfeed if they can! If they choose formula (not because they have to or couldn't breatfeed) But because they don't want their breasts to sag or they don't want to bother.. then taxpayers shouldn't foot that bill and other people that need the help should not be turned away or people loose jobs because of them. I use WIC and I used formula with my first.. if it would have been harder to get I assure I would have tried harder to breastfeed.
ReplyDeleteBut that's just my opinion on a blog.. I don't consider this pushing my views on someone, people read voluntarily and people can still go ahead and use formula if they want... not like anyone's going to actually listen and make this into a law.
Totally agree if WIC would make it harder to get the full package of formula women would try harder to breastfeed not just give up in the first couple of days stating the baby doesn't want to breastfeed. What I have noticed lately many woman don't have a lot of confidence in their own body how it can actually 100 percent feed their baby with out any supplementation. Now I do understand there's breast abnormalities, thyroid problems or taking heavy medication that theirs some moms that need to supplement which is understandable. Now they would be able to get more formula. WIC will save more money if they cut back on issuing so much formula.
ReplyDeleteHannah M: March 7, 2012
ReplyDeleteIt outrages me that politicians would cut this program that is so needed in this nation without thinking about the consequences. I volunteer at WIC and teach classes on Dental Health, and I know that these women and children benefit a lot from the services provided. I believe that cutting WIC funds would affect us all and ultimately raise al of our health costs. Not only that but these women and children being cut would not have nutritious food available to them and nutrient deficiencies and anemias would include in prevalence. I hope these funds are not cut and that some of the ideas in this blog are implemented.