Welcome to WIC!

Thank you for being part of our WIC family! 

Now that you are part of WIC, what comes next?

Grow with WIC. We are excited to be a part of your family until your child turns 5. 

  • Infants and children can stay on WIC until they turn 5.
  • Women who are pregnant receive WIC food benefits until the end of their pregnancy.
  • Women who are fully or partially breastfeeding receive WIC food benefits until their baby is 1-year-old.
  • Women who are breastfeeding some or only formula feeding receive WIC food benefits until their baby is 6-months-old.

Resources for New WIC Families

Download the resources shown below to learn more about programs available to you, your rights and responsibilities, and shopping for WIC foods

WIC will even help you find other services to make being a mom or dad — and raising amazing kids — a little easier. 

 

Pregnancy Resources

WIC is here to support you throughout your pregnancy. We have many resources that include ways to help you have a healthy pregnancy and learn more about breastfeeding. WIC promotes breastfeeding and has multiple ways to support you. However you choose to feed your baby, we are here to help!

For more breastfeeding information, please visit www.texaswic.org 

 

Shopping for WIC Foods

myTexasWIC Shopping App

Download the shopping app on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. With the mobile shopping app, you can scan items at the store to see if they are WIC approved, check your WIC benefits, and view the Texas WIC shopping guide. 

Temporary WIC Foods

To get your family what it needs during these difficult times, Texas WIC has temporarily added more options for the milk, bread, rice, pasta, and eggs that you can buy at the grocery store. Visit Special WIC Food Updates for detailed information. 

Tips for Shopping for WIC Foods

WIC helps you buy many of the healthy foods already on your grocery list. Visit our Shopping for WIC Foods page to learn more. 

Use WIC’s shopping guides to help you shop for WIC foods at the store. 

 

Formula Shortage Resources

The Austin Public Health (APH) Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is aware of the recent formula recall that has resulted in the current formula shortage and is sharing long-standing resources for local moms and information from Texas WIC about the recall. 

If you can't find the formula at the store, we have some resources and options available listed below: 

WIC Options 

The Texas WIC program is offering formula options to help families in need. Please note that these options are only available for WIC clients. Individuals or families can register online to enroll in the WIC program. 

  • WIC clients can go to www.TexasWIC.org to find the list of alternative brands available to them if they cannot find their brand at the grocery store. This list is updated daily. They can also contact their local WIC office for assistance. There is a list with our local WIC Clinic's contact information and addresses here www.austintexas.gov/page/wic-locations
  • WIC participants can join our Facebook group, "ATX Family Care" where we post daily updates and answer general questions from the community.  

APH Resources 

  • Mom's Place Lactation Support Center operates as a clinic and training center where mothers can receive breastfeeding assistance from registered nurses and lactation consultants. Appointments can be made by calling 512-972-6700, and a toll-free breastfeeding hotline can be reached by calling 1-800-514-6667. 
  • Family Connects works to support families after the birth of a newborn. Nurses are available for home visits to measure newborn and maternal health and assess strengths and needs to link the family to community resources. More information is available by calling 512-225-0363 or emailing family.connects@austintexas.gov 
  • Connect ATX: Use Connect ATX to find up-to-date information on local food pantries that may have formula, housing, transportation, childcare, and more.
  • APH Neighborhood Centers and CTFB Food Pantries (donated formula so inventory will vary) Get Help | Central Texas Food Bank- Look under the “Resources for You” tab and the first bullet point is a List of places to get free food in English or Spanish

HHS Fact Sheet 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has created a fact sheet to help families find formula. 

Safety Information 

The current stock of Similac products on the shelf are safe, as these were all manufactured after the recall at a different manufacturing plant not affected by the recall. 

If someone has purchased powdered baby or toddler formula with the brand names Similac, Alimentum, or EleCare, they should first check to see if their formula was affected at https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/product-lookup.html. Then, look at the bottom of the can or container and find the lot number and enter it into the website. If recalled, do not use it, and follow the manufacturer's instructions to get a replacement. Abbott can be contacted at 1-800-986-8540. 

Parents can contact their baby's health care provider if their baby recently drank one of the recalled products and are experiencing fever, not eating well, excessive crying, low energy, or other symptoms. 

If a formula was not included in the recall, families could still use it.  

Because babies need a specific balance of nutrients, WIC and the American Academy of Pediatrics do not recommend making baby formula at home, and it is not safe to use cows' milk or overly dilute formula.

 

Helpful links: