In the BC Employment and Assistance Act, there is only one reference to
breastfeeding, under the heading 'Infant formula'. However, there is a
'Natal supplement', which is presumably considered adequate to boost the
lactating mother's nutritional needs. From the Act:

Infant Formula:

10. The minister may provide infant formula under section 74.1 of this
regulation if

 (a) a medical practitioner confirms in writing that
    (i) the dependent child for whom a specialized infant formula is to be
provided has a medical condition and the specialized infant formula is
necessary to treat the medical condition, or
   (ii) the dependent child for whom the infant formula is to be provided is
at risk of contracting a disease that is transmissible through the mother’s
breast milk,

 (b) in the case of a child described by paragraph (a) (ii), the child is
under 12 months of age. 

Natal Supplement

 A family unit is eligible to receive the natal supplement while
    (a) the recipient or dependent child is pregnant, or
    (b) the recipient or dependent child has a dependent child under 7
months of age.

The amount of the natal supplement is:

    (a) $45 for each calendar month, or
    (b) $90 for each calendar month if the person
        (i) is pregnant with more than one child, or
       (ii) gives birth to more than one child.

Source: http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/reg/E/263_2002.htm

Ocean

---------------------------------
Chrystal Ocean, WISE Coordinator
http://www.wise-bc.org/

Policies of Exclusion, Poverty & Health: Stories from the Front
http://www.wise-bc.org/CVProject/book.html


On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 15:39:13 -0400, Kathryn Proudfoot <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Hello All,
>
>I am looking for answers and/or direction on what is happening provincially
in terms of breastfeeding policies. Specifically, I would like to know:
>
>   Mothers on income assistance - do they receive a stipend for infant
formula or breastfeeding? Any incentives to encourage breastfeeding?
>   Any information on “back to work” policies and effect on infant feeding
     decisions?
>   Mothers with HIV- do they receive a stipend for infant formula?
>I am particularly interested in Quebec and BC but would like to hear
ideally about every province.
>
>Thank you in advance for any help with this matter.
>
>Kathryn Proudfoot, RD
>MSc. Candidate
>Community Health & Epidemiolgy
>Dalhousie University

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