How do they expect you to feed a baby on wic?

Question

I was just curious, as I quallify for food stamps (aka Illinois Link Card).. It is a temporary thing until I start working (my husband works, but he does not make enough).

I was looking at the "4-12 months old"...

All it covers is concentrated formula (she will only take powder), infant cereal (she is able to chew and eat table food, etc.), and juice (she's not even supposed to be drinking more than a few oz a day)

and I noticed that for all WIC packages it says "NO ORGANIC"

Right now my daughter is 8 months old and eats much of the food I eat (within reason).

I mean.. seriously, what the heck do they expect? A one year old to live on formula and cereal? I was unable to breastfeed due to narcotics given during delivery.. so it's not like I can even get cheese for her!

Right now she eats food that I cook her.. veggies, etc. from 5-6 months she was eating gerber stage 1-3 food.. she eats gerber graduates if we're out of the house and unable to bring along other types of food (we try but it is hard!)

So what do you all think?

Answer 1

I can't believe you are complaining about something you get for free that our tax dollars pay for!  And to mention that you can't get organic!!!!  Organic stuff is a luxury not a necessity.  My husband and I work for a living and support ourselves and although I know it is healthier/safer/better all around, I can't even always justify the added expense to get the organic rather than conventional.

People who get food stamps and WIC shouldn't expect the best of everything.  Just as subsidized housing and homeless shelters usually don't have door men, a pool, and a gym, and a concierge service!

Answer 2

My only guess is that people who have no money either get food stamps to buy foods that WIC doesn't provide, or they probably go to the food pantry for the items they need.  WIC is not intended to totally provide for your baby, it's to supplement with healthy foods.  

Answer 3

I had to use WIC with my first son because my husband and I were both young and could not afford the formula. We tried to buy formula on our own at first but could not afford it. It was such a great help formula is expensive and it really does help for those who need it.

I guess I am getting the thumbs down b/c I used wic 5 years ago. Wow

Answer 4

I completely understand what you mean but WIC is suppose to help you not feed your baby. Also when she is a year old she will get cheese (but you have to give up a gallon of milk (1 pound of cheese) or 2 gallon (2 pounds of cheese). She will get cereal(regular) eggs, peanut butter, milk, and juice. But I know what you mean it is hard. Especially when you are not working I have been there but it will get better and until then I would just do what you are doing feeding her what you eat. Because it is expensive to buy the little jars of food when they can eat the same thing for cheaper when you make it. I hope this helps

Answer 5

formula and cereal is honestly all they need until they are 1 and then after that wic gives milk, cheese, eggs, and cereal, well i guess maybe its different in delaware but i think thats plently especially since your not paying anything.  

Answer 6

8 months old why aren't you back at work yet if money is an issue?

Answer 7

WIC is meant to be an assistance program for a few staples, not provide everything you need for your child's diet.  Food stamps can help cover other things like cheese and, if needed, the local food bank can provide some groceries as well.

You are choosing not to work right now.  You should be thankful you are able to get assistance at all, not bitching about what WIC does and does not cover.  My taxes are feeding your kid, and frankly you're pissing me off.

Answer 8

What are you complaining about? You get food stamps AND WIC. Seriously, there are people that work for their own food and don't live off of the government. You have nothing to complain about. WIC is to supplement some of your kid's food, not supply every single meal that they're ever going to eat. You've got a lot of nerve. My tax money is paying for your food and yet you're completely ungrateful, this is why CERTAIN people on welfare (Not all of them) p**s me off.

Answer 9

WIC and food stamps are *not* supposed to make up your entire food budget.  They are supposed to be supplemental.  That means that you aren't supposed to feed yourself entirely with them.  You're just supposed to use them to supplement and fill in the gaps.  That's why WIC for your baby provides the essential source of nutrition, formula, and not much else.

Of course your baby isn't supposed to just live off of formula and cereal.  It's your responsibility (as well as every parent) to supply for the rest of those needs.  

Answer 10

You are suffering from the delusion that WIC is intended to cover all the food a baby needs.  WIC is merely to help prevent malnutrition by ensuring that certain nutrients that are commonly missing from young children's diets are included.  However because of the heavy lobbying from the infant food industry combined with the need to guarantee prices and availability the foods used to provide these nutrients are suboptimal.

WIC does not, nor has it ever, provided 100% of the formula the average infant needs to survive.WIC provides 26 fl oz per day whereas most infants take 28-32oz per day.  And because you should generally keep a baby on the same formula that leaves parents to provide the rest generally by purchasing one of the more expensive brands.

Also all WIC allows to substitute powder for the liquid concentrate or even ready-to-feed with a doctors note.  The liquid concentrate is presumably to help prevent fluorodosis.  Although even with liquid concentrate you should use distilled or other non-fluoridated water.

The juice is basically provide enough vitamin C to prevent scurvy.  Because fruit and vegetables packagers/growers can not guarantee price or availability AND because the entire WIC check must generally be used at one time fresh is not an option.  Nor do many have the storage room for frozen.  Dried would be far better if you could guarantee sulphite and dye free.

The infant cereal is to prevent anemia, though newer studies show it actually causes it.  The same goes for the hot or cold cereal for older kids.  The milk is for the vitamin D and calcium, though again their are superior sources.

Tuna is given to breastfeeding women for reasons I can not fathom as it is so high in mercury (even the lower mercury varieties).  I've get to divine the reason nursing women get carrots.

Beans and lentils are a cheap and storeable source of protein, iron, and folate.  Peanut butter is a poorer option but until they teach people how to cook with beans and lentils its a better option (many people I know on WIC have cupboards full of unused beans).

Eggs are actually probably the only truly good food on the list, though insufficient in quantity.  And eggs that contain DHA would be preferable.  At least, however, eggs contain choline and other fats needed for brain development, usable zinc and usable vitamin D.

As for being unable to breastfeed because of the narcotics given during delivery that is just silly.  You know, and I know, and hopefully everyone on here knows that those narcotics would cease to be in your system at some point and then your milk would be fine -even if the narcotics given were truly incompatible with breastfeeding.  Rarely are any of the meds used during pregnancy and delivery incompatible with breastfeeding.  I do not minimize the difficulty of getting a baby to breast that hasn't nursed in their first days -I've done it.  But it is far from impossible.

Answer 11

Well more than likely, if someone is eligible for WIC, they are also eligible for food stamps.

It may not seem like a lot from WIC, but it really is. Look at the receipts after you check out.

I am a single mom, I work full time, go to school part time, get no child support, and am so very thankful for the items that I do get with WIC. With milk being almost $5 a gallon these days, yes, I am very thankful.

You can't soley feed a child off of the items that come with your WIC check, but that's not what they are intended for. They are intended to provide nutritional items to add to your child's daily food intake. They also provide a lot of information as to what your child needs on a daily basis, and what additional food items you would need for your child to ensure they are eating right. I've been given several food charts that show the things my son needs, and I am really thankful for the information this program has given me as well.

I know that I am not going to be on WIC or foodstamps forever, but am very thankful these programs exist for situations like the one I am in. I'm sure there are some people who view these as "government freebies" and nothing else and feel that the government should be giving them more.. but you have to earn for yourself too. The government did not give birth to your child - you did. And you should be responsible for your little one.

And I also chose to breastfeed my son for several reasons. Price of formula was one of the smaller reasons to choose to breastfeed. And if I'm not willing to pay that much for formula out of my own pocket, I wouldn't expect anyone else to do it for me.

Being on WIC, and being on food stamps is not something I am proud of, and something I'm working really hard to not need anymore, but in the mean time, I am very thankful for these programs and see no reason to have any complaints about them.

Answer 12

WIC is not the same as foodstamps. While WIC is helpful, they do not expect you to live off of it. It is considered to be a "nutrient supplement program". If you need extra help you'll have to apply for regular food stamps.  

Answer 13

can u make ur self more clear  

Answer 14

Beggers can't be choosers, at least they get something. For the most part they are there to HELP not take over.  

Answer 15

Totally off topic, but how is it that the medicine a birthing unit has makes you unable to breastfeed?  That sounds like horrible ethics on their part.

What if you bought the concentrate formula, and eventually your daughter would "have" to take it (because she will be hungry).  I did the same thing when I weaned my son at 20 months.  Suddenly he was drinking soy milk from a cup instead of breast milk.  He spit it out a few times but learned that it's the only milk he'll get so he adjusted.

BTW, I think WIC is a good program, but the food they allow you to have SUCKS!  Instead of fresh fruit and veggies, tofu, or even flour and stuff so you can bake your own bread (someting I've learned to do on a small budget), they allow you to have ghetto-*** processed American cheese, sugary juices (instead of fresh fruit to make your own, like I did), eggs/milk (my son and I are vegans), etc. etc.  I was on WIC for about 4 months and the only thing I ever got was cereal and dried beans.  Eventually I gave it up so they can make room for a mom who would actually USE everything on the vouchers.

Good luck, I know it's hard with a limited budget.

Answer 16

I am just grateful  that there is a program ou there to help families in need. Anything is better than nothing..

Answer 17

The WIC program is well-funded but very poorly researched.  I believe (but I can't prove it) that the food companies have more say about what goes into the program than actual research does.  The amount of milk, juice and cereal is unhealthy.  The few things that I could use were some milk, some juice (you can use it to make jelly), the peanut butter, some cheese, the tuna, beans and carrots.  You'll get some of those things after your daughter turns one, I believe.

I believe that if you get a note from the doctor, you should be able to get powdered formula.  Some babies have issues with the formula that WIC offers.  My nephew had trouble, and my sister got it switched without a problem.

The WIC diet is so unhealthy.  Unfortunately, there are people who do not have access to fresh produce and healthy food choices.  I wish that your WIC office had been able to support you properly through breastfeeding.  My WIC office made it possible for me to breastfeed as long as I did, and I wish everyone had that available.  My baby had serious issues in the beginning as well, and we were able ot breastfeed.  It was extremely hard, and it took forever, but we got it, in part from the help we received from WIC.

Wic is only a supplement.  You'll still have to purchase food for your baby.

Answer 18

I agree with the others WIC and food stamps are not like burger king..it's not "your way right away"  it supposed to be support for those that can't afford to do it alone.  If your child has special feeding needs than it is up to you and hubby to provide those needs.  If wic makes exceptions for one they have to make exceptions for all.

Answer 19

WiC is meant to be a supplemental program; like food stamps, it is not intended to be a person's entire diet. It's a deep thing in our nation's psyche, our individualistic strain makes us belicose towards anyone who can't fully provide for themselves on just the free market and the occasional charity scraps from religious groups. That's why you're not getting close to what you really need, the idea that any form of welfare should be a thing of indignifying austerity. As for the meagreness, I think the idea is that you should probably also be doing things like getting married for extra income. No, really, that's how legislators think in our society.