Do you recieve WIC?

Augusta - posted on 01/26/2012

Most WIC's have taken juice out of their program for children under the age of two due to the new nutrition guidelines for children under two. The AAP has made the statement that juice is not beneficial or needed by children.

Proud - posted on 01/19/2012

WIC in Missouri



32 jars baby food (Stage 2 Fruits and veggies)

24 oz baby cereal

11 cans of formula







If we wanted they'd allow us to switch some of the formula for baby food. We could change our mind from month to month depending on which we needed more.



Example: 8 cans of formula and 48 jar baby food

Sabrina - posted on 01/12/2010

My daughter is 11 mos. now and I'm a breastfeeding mom in Iowa. In a month I get 5 1/2 gallons of milk, 2 lbs. of natural cheese, 2 dozen eggs, 2 18 oz. containers of peanut butter, 2 64 oz. of fruit juice, 36 oz. of cereal, 30 oz. of pink salmon, a $10 voucher for fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, a 16 oz. package of soft corn torillas (which I'm gonna switch to bread), 24 oz. of infant cereal, 64 jars of 4 oz. baby fruits/vegetables, and 31 jars of 2.5 oz. meats (which we don't get because it smells like dog food and she can eat real meat). I get re-certified when she turns one next month, but I love the changes that WIC has made! AWESOME!!!!

Ashley - posted on 01/03/2010

Quoting sara:

here in arkansas we get 10 cans of milk, 28 oz of cereal , 3 boxes of infant cereal and 48 oz of juice, i wished we did get baby food here on our wic bc my son eats around 10 jars aday along with 6-6oz bottles.

I wish we still got Juice that is very important

Ashley - posted on 01/03/2010

Missouri- Yes Wic provides 32 Cans of Babyfood number 2 cans

24 Ounces of Infant Cereal

7 Cans of Formula

A Month.......Baby Cereal is Approved Brands

Ashlea - posted on 12/22/2009

I am in Germany and I get 12 cans of formula a month, 32 jars of baby food and a box of 16 oz. of cereal.

Lorraine - posted on 12/21/2009

i dont know the exact number but i can get formula and baby food but that sounds like what i get though

Casey - posted on 12/21/2009

Quoting Rebecca:

Can you choose to receive the money for artificial milk and jarred baby food and use it toward more fresh foods? It really bothers me how WIC supports formula feeding and using expensive, less-healthy processed foods, but gives very little support for healthier choices like breastfeeding or buying organic produce.

i totally agree. me and my wic nutrionist always are talking about how wic should only give formila to moms who have a prescription. it might change alot of health issues in america. i think they cute back on the amount of formula because of that, i wish they would do it i feel bad for babies that are not breastfed! i dont know thats just me. however i do get wic and i wish there was more for bfeeding moms seeing as i am one.i think im gonna stop getting it when hes one. idk yet.

Melissa - posted on 12/21/2009

I only get 7 cans of formula, 28 jars of level 2 foods, and 24 oz of baby rice cereal or oatmeal ONLY.. And now that my son is 10 months, they changed it to 7 cans of formula ( even though he refuses to drink formula these days, and still 28 jars of level 2 foods, even though that's like soup to him) and 2 pounds of banana's.. And that's here in MN..

Chris - posted on 12/20/2009

Quoting Lori:

In Oklahoma, for my 10 month old, I get 8 12 oz cans of formula, 24 oz of infant cereal or less, 19 7 oz of Gerber 2nd fruits and veggies. The formula part is fine for me, even the cereal but my son will not eat the 2nd foods and the Gerber is too watery for my son. He wont eat it. Since he was able to eat baby food, I have found that he will eat Beech Nut, thicker and better tasting. But WIC wont let me get it. And though he is eating table food (which they didnt even ask me), if he does eat the baby food, it is stage 3 but they wont give it. The last time I had to go to WIC, the nutritionist wasnt even there so they just gave me the same vouchers as before, when my son was 6 months old. Not really working for me. But as said before, I can't complain, it helps out with the expense of it. We are supposed to be using the card but I have yet to receive one.

You might try mixing some infant cereal with the baby food to thicken it up.  My son is 10 1/2 months now and doesn't eat much table food but likes his babyfood thicker.  Sometimes I mix the babyfood in with table food to give it a better consistency for him.  For example, I'll mix pureed veggies or meats in with mashed potatoes from the table.

Chris - posted on 12/20/2009

Quoting Tarah:

I will say that untill this last month we were getting quite a bit of items but it was also because i was breastfeeding. before we went back for this check up and for me to get the checks we were getting 5 1/2 gallons milk, 6 things of juice, 36 ounces of cereal, 2 pounds of cheese, 1 pounds dry beans, 2 doz eggs small jar of peanut butter, and then the 7 cans of formula, and 2 boxes of baby cereal

since Indiana has redone the way it works and since Colten is over 6 months they will not help with me even if I am breast feeding, and they cut back on everything else...the systems helps dont get me wrong but at the same timethere seems to be a lot of wholes in it and things dont add up

That's interesting, because I live in Indiana and my son is 10 1/2 months old and I'm still partially breastfeeding, so I still get all of that stuff plus babyfood.  The only thing I don't get is formula, but I get some from my doctor which helps with the supplementing (usually if you just ask they'll give you a few cans).  It is my understanding that you can get EITHER formula or extra food, but not both.  Maybe that's why you don't get the extra food anymore.  I'm still getting 5 1/2 gallons of milk, 2 lbs. cheese, five cans of tuna, one loaf of whole wheat bread or brown rice, 2 dozen eggs, 3 things of juice, 36 ounces of breakfast cereal, 1 pound of dry beans, one jar of peanut butter, $10 in fresh fruits & veggies, 3 boxes of infant cereal, 64 jars of babyfood fruits or veggies, and 31 jars of babyfood meats.  We never eat it all.  I have 12 boxes of unopened infant cereal sitting in my cupboard right now, plus lots of frozen cheese, cereal, juice, jars of babyfood, etc.

Laura - posted on 12/20/2009

I live in NJ . They just changed what we get for wic in oct. and I exclusively breastfeed my 10 month old daughter so i get alot of food for myself from wic (milk, juice, bread, eggs, cheese, PB, cereal and tuna) but for my daughter I no longer get juice til she is 1. But I now get 31 2.5 oz jars of baby meats and 64 4 oz jars of fruits and veggies (which is stage 2's ounces) and 24oz of cereal. It doesn't bother me that they took away her juice because she doesn't drink that much and I would rather have the baby food because u wind up spending much more on baby food then the juice. So i rather wic pay for what i spend the most money on.

Tara - posted on 12/20/2009

In WI i get 8 can of formula 18 things of stage 2 fruits or veggies (only from gerber though) and 24 oz of cereal my daughter is 10 months now and she dont eat her baby food anymore

Victoria - posted on 12/20/2009

Here in Vermont, I receive 8 cans of formula, 3 boxes of cereal (two oatmeal, one rice), and 32 jars of stage 2 baby food (16 fruits, 16 veggies). My son is now 10 months old and he really doesn't need the stage 2 baby food. I would rather get stage 3 foods, or vouchers to go get whole fruits and veggies for him. I think the program should be reevaluated so that babies get developmentally appropriate foods. But, like I read in someone else' s comment, it is free so I'm not going to complain too much.

Ashley - posted on 12/20/2009

same here in Michigan

Melissa - posted on 12/19/2009

In Minnesota we get 7 cans of formula, 48 jars of fruit or veggies, and 24 oz of cereal

Nikki - posted on 12/19/2009

in Michigan you get 32 jars of baby food.7 cans of formula and 32 ounces of baby cereal.

Lindsay - posted on 12/19/2009

Quoting Rebecca:

Thanks for your response, Dawn. It was informative. I do know that the support for breastfeeding varies A LOT from office to office, and state to state. I have heard stories from online mom friends across the country about going to WIC offices where there isn't one poster, pamphlet, flyer, or verbal mention of breastfeeding, and if the baby is below the 50%-ile, they start talking about referring to DHS and say "just give the baby formula." But I guess a lot depends on the individual biases, experience, and education of the employees working at each office.

Thats a shame that they do that. My office is very supportive. They actually have someone from the WIC office that come to our LLL meetings and have a hotline for breastfeeding help. They have signs all over the office that say they are breastfeeding friendly. They also offered me a free electic pump.

Shantell - posted on 12/19/2009

I live in Michigan and we only get 7 cans of formula here, wish it was more cause my baby can eat!!! lol

Lori - posted on 12/19/2009

In Oklahoma, for my 10 month old, I get 8 12 oz cans of formula, 24 oz of infant cereal or less, 19 7 oz of Gerber 2nd fruits and veggies. The formula part is fine for me, even the cereal but my son will not eat the 2nd foods and the Gerber is too watery for my son. He wont eat it. Since he was able to eat baby food, I have found that he will eat Beech Nut, thicker and better tasting. But WIC wont let me get it. And though he is eating table food (which they didnt even ask me), if he does eat the baby food, it is stage 3 but they wont give it. The last time I had to go to WIC, the nutritionist wasnt even there so they just gave me the same vouchers as before, when my son was 6 months old. Not really working for me. But as said before, I can't complain, it helps out with the expense of it. We are supposed to be using the card but I have yet to receive one.

Ronna - posted on 12/19/2009

Quoting Tarah:

In Indiana I get 7 can of forula/ month , 32 - 4 ounce jars of fruits or veggies stage does not matter and 24 ounces of cereal of oatmeal, rice or whole wheat.

im in indiana too, but you can get 8 cans of formual depending what time of formula your child uses.  like my baby uses enfamil gentlease & i get 8 cans a month b/c its more expensive than the plan enfamil.  if its not a speciality formula you only get 7.  my daughter hates baby food s the 32 of fruits & veggies is a waste b/c she will only eat soft table foods, fingers foods, & formula.  in fact, i tried to feed her some baby bananas the other day & she had potassium overload & was having like petite mal seizures that evening & had to go to the er.  the new system is fine by me since kynlie never eats all that formual in a month.  the only thing that really bothers me is that the cereal only lasts me a week.  kynlie has severe infant reflux & i have to put as much cereal as formula in her bottles in order for her not to spit the majority up so the cereal is gone in about a week.  at least its cheap though!

Cassandrea - posted on 12/18/2009

im in washington we only get 7 cans formula 24 jars of food and 24 oz cerial

Shannon - posted on 12/18/2009

I live in TX and I get 22-24 cans of formula (concentrate), 36 jars of fruits/veggies, 24 oz of cereal (rice, oatmeal, wheat) It's better than just the formula and cereal. We do get $6 worth of fresh fruit/veg but it has to be a single fruit or vegetable. No mixing. I also have a 2-yr old so we get milk (plenty of milk), eggs, juice, cereal, cheese (block cheese) and now they've added rice/tortillas/or bread. The only big problem with this is that depending on which store you go to - at some stores you'll have no problem finding what you can get. At other stores - it's hit or miss.

Irene - posted on 12/17/2009

In Texas, I have my baby on concentrate formula but he gets about 28 cans of the concentrate cans, 2 boxes of baby cereal, about 36 jars of baby foods (nothing mixed). We also no longer have the checks to take to the stores, we are electronic and use a card to swipe and go, very convenient and awesome. We no longer have to buy it all at once but rather as we need the items plus we have a few WIC stores around so we can just go to those stores to buy the stuff rather than go to the bigger grocery stores and have everyone waiting for your transaction and looking at you funny as if they've never been on any such program.

Corie - posted on 12/17/2009

My daughter is 10 months old, and in Virginia, she gets 3 boxes of cereal, 32 jars of stage 2 fruits or veggies and 24 cans of formula(concentrated)

Rebecca - posted on 12/16/2009

Thanks for your response, Dawn. It was informative. I do know that the support for breastfeeding varies A LOT from office to office, and state to state. I have heard stories from online mom friends across the country about going to WIC offices where there isn't one poster, pamphlet, flyer, or verbal mention of breastfeeding, and if the baby is below the 50%-ile, they start talking about referring to DHS and say "just give the baby formula." But I guess a lot depends on the individual biases, experience, and education of the employees working at each office.

Dawn - posted on 12/16/2009

Quoting Rebecca:

Can you choose to receive the money for artificial milk and jarred baby food and use it toward more fresh foods? It really bothers me how WIC supports formula feeding and using expensive, less-healthy processed foods, but gives very little support for healthier choices like breastfeeding or buying organic produce.

You can not exchange anything for cash value, and I am glad...less ways for people to take advantage of the system.  Here is some further information on WIC: You do not get "artificial milk" unless you choose to formula-feed your baby, otherwise the mother continues to receive her checks allowing her to get juice, milk, cereal, tuna, beans, peanut butter, cheese, eggs,bread, and vegetables, so that she may get the proper nutrients to support her breast-feeding.  The program is actually very pro breast-feeding, to the point of sometimes making me feel guilty for  feeding my child formula.  Regarding the less-healthy processed foods; I agree they need to make an effort to include more choices, but they actually are very strict with the types of processed foods they allow to be purchased (based mostly on sugar content); for example, they will not allow you to purchase any of the jarred "complete dinners", they must be vegetables or fruit or meats. They also have their hands tied alot with what companies will work with them, so I think their choices get limited with all the redtape!

Amanda - posted on 12/16/2009

In VT we get 7 cans of formula and 16 jars of fruit and 16 jars of veggies. Plus 1 box of rice cereal and 1 box of oatmeal

Linda - posted on 12/15/2009

In WV- 7 cans of formula; 32 jars of stage 1/2 fruit or veg no meat for formula fed babies and 24 Oz of cereal. they dont offer juice any more and reduced the number of milk cans

Rebecca - posted on 12/15/2009

Can you choose to receive the money for artificial milk and jarred baby food and use it toward more fresh foods? It really bothers me how WIC supports formula feeding and using expensive, less-healthy processed foods, but gives very little support for healthier choices like breastfeeding or buying organic produce.

Ginger - posted on 12/15/2009

I live in TX and they just changed ours too. It's the same as yours but I only get 7 cans of formula. It did mess with me cause she drank the juice and I have to buy couple cans of formula but hey can't complain about free help right

Dawn - posted on 12/13/2009

Quoting Bethany:

what's WIC? We buy our own everything in Australia. We do get $5000 paid fortnightly over 6 mths from the government when we have a baby though.

FYI, the World Health Organisation, and our Peds suggest a child never needs juice, and is better off eating the fruit. and drinking breast milk/formula and water if extra hydration is needed, like in summer. Juice is pure sugar to a baby. Over 1 year old can have juice at 1/4 strength. So I wouldn't be too cut up about not getting juice.

WIC stands for Woman, Infants and Children; a government program aimed at giving low income families the nutrition and nutritional advice they need..... pregnant, breast-feeding and formula feeding post partem women, infants and children up to age 5, get cereal, beans, bread, juice, eggs, cheese, meats, milk and formula based on the needs (as determined by the program). it is a great program but as wtih everything government run, there is not really any room for negotiating.....my 9 1/2 month son no longer eats jar food but we can not get the milk/egg/cereal/cheese/fresh produce checks until he is a year old; we just donate the items back to the office. 

Mary - posted on 12/12/2009

Here in Idaho we get the same of the jars of baby food but there is 28 jars of the meats and then there is $6 for fresh fruits and veggies not sure about the formula but I think its 9 or 10 cans then milk cheese eggs have a choice of either wheat bread or tortilla shells and juice and cereal and the baby rice cereal or oatmeal.

Anastacia - posted on 12/12/2009

Also with the formula babies dont use as much of it as they get older because they are eating more solids.

Anastacia - posted on 12/12/2009

They have Changed the WIC here in TN because they feel they dont want babies to start bad habits with juice so they perfer them to drink water and get regular fruits and vegies without added sugars in them to have a healthy diet. too much sugar can be bad for babies teeth and poor nutrition.

Rose - posted on 12/09/2009

i live in florida and i get that plan, my daughter is 8 months and here lately, ive been feeding her peas out of a can, i havent even been giving her that, and cheerios, anymore, i just need it for the formula

Katie - posted on 11/01/2009

I am in NC, I breastfeed so have not gotten formula from them but I go back next week for the new checks. I will get a bunch of baby food in fruit/veggie/meats and then the cereal. I still get the stuff for myself also.



On the new program they are trying to get more people to give their babies breastmilk that is why if you use formula the amount is decreased and if you breastfeed you get more stuff.

Meaghan - posted on 10/31/2009

i recieve wic in Missouri and i fully breast feed and i get 96 jars of baby food 36 jars of meat bread/tortillas eggs milk tuna evap milk and im not sure wat else off hand...

Bethany - posted on 10/31/2009

what's WIC? We buy our own everything in Australia. We do get $5000 paid fortnightly over 6 mths from the government when we have a baby though.



FYI, the World Health Organisation, and our Peds suggest a child never needs juice, and is better off eating the fruit. and drinking breast milk/formula and water if extra hydration is needed, like in summer. Juice is pure sugar to a baby. Over 1 year old can have juice at 1/4 strength. So I wouldn't be too cut up about not getting juice.

Kendra - posted on 10/30/2009

in nw indiana.. i get 9 cans of formula and 4 boxes of ceral every month for my 8 month old..

Karrington - posted on 10/30/2009

Quoting Margaret:

Quoting Chrissy:

Wow, we don't get jar foods here. In Missouri, I get 10 cans of formula, 16 oz of infant cereal, and 32 oz (i think) of infant juice. I have my checks through December like that.

That was what it was here, until they decided to change it all up, and screw with people. I'm actually mad about the fact that they took away his juice, and 2 cans of formula. More the formula than anything. I want to know who makes the decisions on who gets what, and how much.

Chrissy: You will probably get the new coupons (with baby food in December).

And they did not take away two cans of formula because of the baby food, the baby is supposed to be having more food (and getting fuller from it) in order to reduce formula intake. Most pediatricians are advocating taking the infant off of bottles (and generally) formula at 12 months.

Jenna - posted on 10/29/2009

I get WIC here in Arkansas and we get 10 cans of formula and 2 cans of frozen juice and 3 boxed of rice cereal. I wish that we got food that would help :)

Brittney - posted on 10/29/2009

Hi! I'm on WIC. I just started this week. I received it toward the end of my pregnancy, you know milk, cheese, cereal, juice...but I didn't receive it til Tuesday. I wanted to try to do it as much as I possibly on my own before I asked for help, but the truth is my LO eats so much, and my wallet can't keep up with her hunger! :)

I'm in Florida, so its the same deal for me.

Sara - posted on 10/28/2009

up date for arkansas wic. Now or babies get 7 cans of milk, 32 4oz jars of baby food and 3 boxes of infant cereal.

Nichole - posted on 10/27/2009

here in NY i get 7 can of formulia, 32 jars of food ( just plain friuts and plain veggies...Which sucks but i buy alot of mixtures as well....) and three 8oz boxes of cerieal ( rice, oatmeal and whole wheat) she doesn't car for much of the cerieal... un less it is rice mixed with a fruit or veggie... she hates the whole wheat and not sure on the oatmeal yet have not tried it yet... i wish we would get juices on wic cuz she loves them and i like the lil 4oz bottles of different kinds of juice made by gurber.... she loves most of them i would buy just stright 100% juices but i like the lil 4oz bottles they r easy to stick in her dipar bag if i don't want to stick in a bottle right away....

Felicia - posted on 10/20/2009

I live in Arizona. We had to cancel our WIC because the WIC here pretty much said if I'm not breastfeeding, they are only going to give us a couple cans, as compared to 8 cans a month we were recieving.

Amanda - posted on 10/16/2009

We get... lots of baby food at least 36 4oz jars of veg/fruits baby food and 30 2oz meats, and 3 boxes of baby cereal. I'm breastfeeding though so I don't get formula. We're in VA

Sandra - posted on 10/15/2009

I believe it depends on the need. I only get 9 cans of formula, eight 4 packs of juice, and 1 big box of baby cereal. My wic will change at the end of this month though.

Augusta - posted on 10/15/2009

Q

My son doesn't want the baby food. He either wants real food or his formula. I think it's rather ridiculous that they are going to control what you child eats, but if it's free than I guess no one should complain about it. Yet, here I am complaining. I just don't like the fact that when we got 10 cans, I still ended up having to buy atleast 1 more can a month, and now we will end up having to buy 3 cans a month. And my son isn't overweight. As a matter of fact, according to the last time we went to the doctors he was in the 13th % weight, stating that he was slightly under weight, and over height. (He is almost 3  feet tall at 8 months old -- daddy is 6'6 though and a whole 190, 20 of those pounds were gained within these last couple months)

I think the main reason for the overhaul was nutrition and the fact that WIC is meant to be a supplement not to provide everything. Some WIC offices were having to turn away women/children because they had run out of funds for new clients. I go for my voucher pick up on the 20th so guess I will get to see what the changes are. Really doesn't matter with us though since I breastfeed. Any help they can give is great.

Kereen - posted on 10/14/2009

I'm in Louisiana and I do both breast and formula. I get 3 cans of formula, 3 of the baby ceareal, 2 big cans of juice for him. Me I get 4 gallons milk, 2 eggs, 3 cheese, 1lb beans, 3 evaporated milk, (I have a cuboard full of nothing but that), 6 cans of juice, and 36 oz of certain ceareals. They were suppose to switch to the new guideline in Oct. but when I went last month and got more checks I did not get the new stuff. I don't go back until the end of Nov. Although when I tried to get the whole milk I was told I could not get that anymore because of the new guidelines. So who knows what they are doing. If I do get the jarred food I am disappointed that you can't get organic because Gerber adds tons of crap to there foods. Check the sodium content in most of their food compared to others its usually quite a bit more. I do find that natures goodness doesn't add additives. But to limit you to only the plain fruits and veggies kinda sucks because aren't we suppose to be getting them to like different tastes and if you limit to single fruits and veggies there is only a handful of each. Peaches, apples, bananas, pears, sweet potatos, green beans, peas, carrots, squash. Who wants to eat only those foods day in and day out. But I guess they do say WIC is to supplement not fullfil their requirements. So I guess some help is better than no help.