Nutrition program works for women and children

With the new administration in Washington D.C., there are concerns that federal funds for low income programs may be cut.

“With all these proposals, we are still doing business as usual,” Sue Cameron, Director of Health and Human Services in Wahkiakum County said. “As much as we can because we don’t want to upset our clients.”

One such program is being used by roughly 100 women and children in Wahkiakum County at any given time. And not everyone who is qualified to use the program knows that it is available to them. That program is WIC or Women, Infants, Children.

WIC is a federally funded USDA program that provides nutrition and education to pregnant women, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women postpartum up to six months, and children from birth up to their fifth birthday.

“The idea behind WIC is you help low income or high risk pregnant or parenting moms and babies,” Cameron said. “We provide food for them to make sure they are nourished, measure the babies and make sure they are thriving. WIC is a bit of a carrot to get people in the clinic for well baby care.”

WIC incentivizes breast feeding. According to Danelle Barlow, the Wahkiakum County public health nurse, breastfeeding is best, because “it helps provide a lot of nutrients and antibodies that the babies need.”

Bottle fed babies receive supplemental formula through WIC. They also get jarred fruit and vegetable baby food. Breastfed babies get the fruit and vegetable baby food, and they also get what Barlow referred to as “baby meat,” which is the meat based jarred baby food.

During pregnancy, women in the WIC program have their weight monitored. If they are having problems, it provides another resource and check on their health. A nutritionist is available to help them make better choices or figure out how to respond to any problems they might run into during those nine months.

“We try and answer any questions people might have,” Barlow said. “We can also be a go between with doctors if need be, thought that doesn’t happen much.”

When a child transitions from breast feeding or being bottle fed to eating solids, WIC provides cereals and baby food.

WIC provides vouchers for milk, cheese, juice, beans or peanut butter, whole grains, eggs, and fresh fruits and vegetables. During certain times of the year, WIC participants can get vouchers for farmer’s markets.

It is also another way to access other services.

“WIC is a place where we can talk to our moms about car seat safety and get them those,” Cameron said. “We’ve got a nutritionist that comes in if we’ve got a baby that we are worried is not thriving. We use it as a chance for moms to learn how to cook on a limited budget. It’s also an opportunity to encourage immunizations.”

A mom might come in to talk to the nutritionist because she has a picky eater. They have a recipe book, but the program managers also have a lot of education and experience.

“Let the child help make a meal,” Barlow suggested. “Or set the table or clean up. They like to eat something they helped make.”

“I think it would be a real travesty to lose WIC,” Cameron said. “But right now, WIC is holding it’s own in our state. But we don’t know. It’s very hard right now to predict anything in the world that we’re working in. We’re living in a time right now where there’s no stability for our future and it’s very hard to run programs that way.”

“It’s a wonderful program,” Barlow said. “There are a lot of kids that receive the foods, the benefit and the education.”