Breast-feeding helps mothers feel close to their baby. Breast milk contains all the nutrients infants need to grow and develop. Breast-fed infants tend to be healthier because they receive antibodies from the breast milk, which protects them against infection. NAWD proposes two changes to the WIC Program that will enhance this critical effort. First, to allow states to use food funds for the purchase of breast pumps.
Breast pumps are a food aid.
They assist breastfeeding mothers provide breastmilk for their infants when they are at work, school, or separated from their children. Although breast pumps are the means to provide this specific form of WIC food benefit, they are allowable only as an NSA cost and compete for funds with direct services costs including staff time for counseling and assessment and computer systems. Second, to allow the certification of breastfeeding women for up to a year after delivery or until they stop breastfeeding. Currently, infants may be certified until the first birthday, but breastfeeding mothers must undergo eligibility re-determination at the infant's six month birthday. This creates a barrier for working mothers who must take time off work, discouraging them from breastfeeding.