I have a question about WIC? The nutritional/medical risk requirement?

Question

I have a 7 week-old baby that I'm mostly breastfeeding and have an appointment with them sept 3rd. I was looking at their website and noticed that it says you have to fall into all 4 categories to qualify: income, residential, categorical, and nutritional. I know I'll meet all first 3 categories, but I have a question about the nutritional/medical risk: does that mean if my baby or me (I'm applying for both of us) are in good health, and have no "nutritional/medical risk" will I not be eligible? and do they run blood tests (like cbc for anemia, etc) on you and the baby if you're applying for both? also, am I at a 'nutritional risk" if I'm underweight and breastfeeding which will help me be eligible?

Answer 1

Generally speaking if you meet the first three you will meet the last. While you may not be in any trouble now, being under a certain income puts you at future risk of not having enough to eat. WIC is a great program, but its sad to see it be so overused. More mothers should be like you, and question if they really need it just because its there.

My WIC office has never run any blood tests on me, but when my baby turns one they want to get his bloodwork done.  

Answer 2

the main important category to be in to qualify is income. as long as you meet that, they will find some nutritional risk that qualifies you.

Answer 3

no they don't take any test like that...you just have to answer questions about the way you feed your baby, and how many hours. just thing like that. good luck

Answer 4

They will want the postpartum bloodwork your doctor orders.  Since you are breastfeeding they only care about yours right now, but they will want to know his as well.  The categories include anemia, overweight, underweight, etc, or just not having enough money for food.  Some places are real sticklers for this, and other places don't even bother with that category.

Answer 5

I was always in good health and my children too, and we qualified, I think they consider that if you are the income requirements they say taht you could be at risk nutritionally.  Just go in and see what they say...

Answer 6

if you and your baby are in good health it won't affect your eligibility for WIC.  It's your income that they look at.  Although, at an income level i didn't qualify for WIC, but because my baby is on medical assistance we automatically qualified.  Good luck!! WIC is a wonderful program!

Answer 7

You need to fall into 1 of 4 of the catergories.

Well no, if you read it, then I cant argue. I would think 1 of the 4.

My son and I are in perfect health and we are eligible.

Answer 8

You'll be fine WIC is easier to get then you think, the only blood test they run is they will prick "both" of your fingers while you are there to check your iron levels thats just to determine if they will need to give you more milk and if your baby needs a different formula or not. My iron level I was told is perfect, I get I think 6 gallons of milk a month, and once baby gets here he will get 6-12 ounce cans of formula (powder or premade)

Answer 9

My WIC office checked our income first before they even asked any other questions.  I feed my family very nutritionally and healthy food and we still qualify, probably solely based on income.  They will check your iron level with a little finger prick (not sure about the baby's - we didn't start receiving WIC until my second was over a year old).

Answer 10

"Nutrition risk" means that an individual has medical-based or dietary-based conditions.  Examples of medical-based conditions include anemia (low blood levels), underweight, or history of poor pregnancy outcome.  A dietary-based condition includes, for example, a poor diet.

This is what their website says, which makes me think I don't qualify.  But everyone on here seems to be saying differently?  I'm not due until December, and I'm not worried about food for myself, it's more formula and such which I may need assistance for.  I'd like to think I can make it on my own (w/my boyfriend's assistance) but I don't work much as it is (i'm in college) and will work less or not at all once the baby arrives.  Sometimes I just don't know how it'll all be done.  :(