An Afternoon at the WIC Office

I'm surrounded by babies. Bottle-fed, breastfed, stroller-riding, strapped in car seats, strapped to Mom's chest. One of them is grabbing my leg. They're all here.

I'm at the WIC office. WIC is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. I have two kids still on WIC, and every 2 or 3 months we have to attend an appointment or class in order to get WIC vouchers for milk, cheese, eggs, juice, cereal, and peanut butter or dry beans.

Today it's a class on infant feeding. The room is always overcrowded, and more than half the people bring their children along. I have before, but not today. My infant is actually now a toddler, and trying to keep her in one place would be a huge challenge. Fortunately, I do have someone else who can watch the kids. For many others, I'm sure child care is an issue.

WIC is a federal program, administered by states and counties. Participants qualify by:
• Being a pregnant or breastfeeding woman, an infant, or a child under age 5
• Meeting the income guidelines which correspond to their family's size (applicants' income must fall at or below 185 percent of the U.S. Poverty Income Guidelines)
• Being at risk for nutritional deficiencies (for most people, being low income fulfils this qualification as well).

What actually happens at the WIC clinic varies somewhat from state to state, but at WIC appointments, participants usually submit their qualifying income information, have a height and/or weight check, and possibly have iron/hemoglobin levels checked. A counselor will also evaluate the participant's diet, and provide age-appropriate nutrition education.

Many people know that WIC provides food, but WIC is also an educational resource. WIC provides classes on topics like breastfeeding, infant feeding, and preparing healthy snacks. Participants or parents of participants are required to attend a certain number of classes each year in order to continue receiving food vouchers.

Breastfeeding education and support is a key component of the WIC program. Just about any medical organization will tell you that breastfeeding is best for babies. WIC does its best to educate and support women so that they can and will breastfeed for as long as possible. In addition to providing classes and pamphlets on breastfeeding, WIC makes breast pumps available to working mothers, and provides extra foods such as tuna and carrots for breastfeeding women.

If families do need or choose to use formula, WIC also provides formula vouchers, but breastfeeding is strongly encouraged.

My family has participated in WIC in two states, California and Oregon. We have found it to be a positive experience, both financially and educationally. As a new mother, I was able to talk with a WIC counselor and with other mothers about breastfeeding and baby care, which helped me to know that I was not alone, and to deal with the challenges of breastfeeding. When I went back to work full time, the WIC office loaned me a Medela breast pump, so that I could continue breastfeeding my baby.

During my pregnancies, WIC helped provide the extra milk and protein I needed. And for my young children, WIC foods have been a great source for milk, juice, and healthy snacks.

In addition to its basic programs, WIC sometimes offers farmers' market vouchers, which can be used to purchase fresh, local produce from farmers' markets. A trip to the farmers' market not only provides us with healthy, nutritious food - it also provides a fun outing for the family! We all go together, and the kids can help choose their own fruits and vegetables. In addition, we're supporting local farmers and shopping sustainably.

In general, more families qualify for WIC than qualify for food stamps, so it's worth checking into, even for middle-income families. Currently, a family of four can qualify if their income is less than $38,203 per year.

My four year old will soon graduate from WIC, and I've already graduated from the breastfeeding program. My youngest will still be eligible for three more years, unless our income goes up significantly. If so, I'll be happy, but meanwhile, I'm grateful for the WIC program.