WIC Lady Issues in My Area

NO one should even think about putting an 8 month old on a "diet" unless there is something VERY wrong and it's the pediatrician talking! I have no experience with WIC either, but it sounds like some people just making comments.

Most employees of WIC are licensed nutritionists, specializing in infant and child nutrition... and most of those are nurses who 5th yeared in nutrition.

Yes, they can & are required to report all parents who are suspected of abusing their children (like ALL health professionals), including starving their children... but also like all health professionals... they have no power over the parents themselves.

Will they report a family withholding formula and breastmilk and doing cereal alone with their 1/2/3 month old? Absolutely. As they should.

Will they put an at risk child on a special diet? Absolutely. As they should (special diets include adding fats, non-dairy / dairy allergy, adding or reducing iron or other vitamins that are too high or too low, etc).

If the WIC worker was a registered nutritionist specializing in infant and child nutrition... I would get a 2nd opinion (I'm a fan of 2nd opinions), but ALSO be prepared that there is a 90% probability that she is correct. I don't know your friend, and have never met her baby. I've known people to be given AWFUL advice by pediatricians, and I've also know parents who gave their children (starting at 6mo) pudding and juice and fuitloops and brownies all day long. The advice could be bunk, or the advice could be life saving. (I SERIOUSLY knew a mum whose infants were in and out of the hospital "because all they would eat" was pudding, fruitloops, and juice. Horrifying, isn't it? But she thought those were "kid foods", and so that's what she fed her kids... and got HORRIFICALLY upset when anyone suggested she feed her kids differently. And no... they were not autistic.).

We're a pretty self selecting group here on mamapedia... but not all mums and dads are as concerned about healthy childraising as ALL the parents on here I have read (even ones I absolutely disagree with) are. (Just because I disagree doesn't mean that they aren't uber concerned about their kids health, growth, & happiness... we've just gone different routes... we're BOTH concerned parents, disagreeing or not). Purely by being on this site (or others like it), indicates putting parenting and doing it as well as one can is high on our priorities list. The same isn't true for a LOT of people. Their kids come last on their to do list.

Which is a thing to remember when you hear people gripe. It could honestly be a "bad office" (and those exist in every profession, from doctors to teachers to coffee shops), or it could be someone being told something they don't want to hear.

I was on WIC with my son, and the office was WONDERFUL. A real haven of knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful people. Great experience.

When you are in a position where the government is paying for your survival you have to do what the government requires you to do. They are paying you, they are providing your groceries, you must follow their rules. All employees of the agencies involved with welfare parents have guidelines that have to be met and the employees are mandated to report anything that may seem extraordinary. It is how they make sure that taxpayer dollars are being distributed fairly.
If you don't want to worry about them invading your life and telling you how to live you need to get out of that situation. They do this so you wont get comfortable living off of the system they want you to become self sufficient and not dependent on the government. Once you free yourself of government control you will be less stressed, have less paperwork nightmares, less time standing in line waiting for appointments... this will free you up for a job, college and fun.
Take what is good from what you are getting and work with it to get on track, that is what the system is for, it's to help you get on track not there to become a lifestyle.

My daughter was on WIC with her babies. She gained helpful info from the WIC "ladies." Really, "ladies?" lol They are professional employees. I don't remember their actual title, but they have one. They have been trained to educate. The mother doesn't have to do what they say unless what the mother is doing is seriously detrimental to their babies health.

I suggest that the complaints you've heard were most likely stated out of context. Your friend heard something that perhaps they didn't understand or put what they heard together with something not said. For example the mother who complained that the worker said her baby was overweight may be giving her baby more juice than formula and the worker was suggesting a more balanced diet with less calories. Of course I don't know what was said in that office.!

I suggest that your friends will gain more helpful information if they consider the WIC worker as being on their side instead of someone in authority with whom they have to do as they are told. When the mother is able to carry on a relaxed conversation with the worker she can discuss options as well as ask why the worker said something. With an open conversation and an exchange of info the mother will feel much better about appointments and can make informed decisions.

Your statement about when it's recommended to start cereal really says it all! It's a recommendation. One does not have to do what is recommended. The statement is just a piece of information and not a rule.

I always just ignored the WIC ladies. Nodded, smiled, got my formula checks and went home. I was 18 (this was 10 years ago). DHS is not going to be worried about when a mother introduces baby food. They are just trying to help what they see as "poor, uneducated mothers".

I have never listned to them either. My peditrician knows my children best, and if he is okay with their growth then they are fine. My oldest has always been tiny for her age, and WIC tried telling me she had health issues. No she doesn't, she's just small. My ped was going to check her growth hormones, but luckily she had gained enough weight that he decided it was not necessary. Just take what they say with a grain of salt.

I was on WIC for a few months. I stopped going to appointments because of how rude the people working there are. They demanded that I get a flu shot, the H1 N1. I lied and said I would talk to my OB about it. At the next appointment for WIC I witnessed a phone call that one of the ladies at the front desk was taking. Apparently, a woman got the shot and had a miscarriage as a result and were threatening to sue. The people at these departments only say things like that because they are told to, not because it is for you or your child's health. The best thing to do when talking to them is to "smile and nod." If you feed your child cereal early on, just don't admit it. I don't think they can report you for it. They can only complain about it and be rude.

they suggest and yes can sometimes be rude but if your baby is healthy and not being abused they cant do anything. you go in there twice a yr so I grin, listen to what they say and walk out! If the baby is healthy and the dr is happy thats all that matters!

They can suggest things, but they won't turn you in for feeding your child cereal. Te he.... but they won't give you cereal to take home until they say it's time for them to be on cereal. So you would have to buy that out of pocket.

They are trained in their field and can tell you if your baby is overweight. And maybe by diet she means to cut back in certain areas. It IS possible to overfeed your baby to the point his little tummy expands.

I suppose you can file a formal complaint with whoever is in charge in the office. But you can not file a complaint for your friends... only for what has happened to you.

My two cents, WIC is a great program, but it is government ran so it has it's flaws, but all in all they are trying to look out for the best interest of the mother and child. I use to qualify for WIC, I hated waiting and waiting when I got there, but I knew that was the process, I could pretty much figured I'd be there for 3+ hours each visit. However, it was worth it, I didn't have much money at the time so if I received milk and cheese and some other stuff, it was worth the wait. They are under government regulations and they follow protocol. When I was at WIC they didn't tell me my daughter was over weight and needed to go on a diet, but her doctor did.

I like Bethany's comment. I am a 22 year old mother to a 6 month old and pregnant again, but this one is due in May. I only use WIC for my son I don't bother with WIC for me sine I don't use half the food they give me because to me its useless. I don't cook ofter right now because of my pregnancy and we just moved to South Korea and still have boxes to unpack. WIC is different in every area, just ignore them. Unless your ped. tells you other wise just smile and nod. And like the other mom said unless your 8 month old has something really wrong with him or her they shouldn't be on a diet. And I started giving my son rice cereal in his bottles when he was 3 months since he was waking every 2 hours, after that he slept through the night. Now he is being introduced to solids. :) He such a quick learner. Don't worry about DHS they won't do anything unless you are abusing your child. They aren't going to say something if you want to try something sooner then recommended. Doctors recommend which means you can take it or leave it your choice. Good luck.

No, they don't call a referral in on you. Have you looked at some of the babies lately???

Geez, the other day at Wal-Mart I saw a baby that was just a few months old that looked like he had fat hanging over the edges of his carrier. That baby is obviously being over fed, maybe to keep him quiet, maybe because they think fat babies are cuter, maybe just his natural state...I don't know, it just looked very unhealthy to me, and I am not skinny by any means.

The nurses at the Health department have the most current information at their disposal.

They are going to tell the moms to follow the government guidelines for nutrition because they are formed by the people who have the most experience in these fields. Babies do not need any food and other supplements during their first 6 months unless the doc thinks so but most docs are going to placate the mother and tell them to go ahead and feed them cereal and other stuff even though they aren't old enough. Then when the mom brings that baby back in a few weeks because they are crying all the time or constipated or gassy they doc isn't going to admit the baby was too young.