WIC Participation and the Initiation and Duration of Breastfeeding

This study measured the effect of participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) after the birth of a child on one important health behavior: the initiation and persistence of breastfeeding. In the United States, many low-income mothers do not initiate breastfeeding at all and very few breastfeed for at least 4 months, although most pediatricians recommend breastfeeding exclusively for at least 4 to 6 months. Recognizing this problem, during the 1990s, the U.S. Department of Agriculture implemented many new policies intended to promote and support breastfeeding among WIC participants. While the new policies promote breastfeeding, the program provides infant formula in food packages, a major incentive for mothers to participate in WIC. The provision of infant formula in WIC food packages may work against the program’s emphasis on breastfeeding.