Counseling at-risk mothers.

Special consideration should be given when counseling at-risk mothers. Although local health departments and offices for the Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) are teaching mothers about proper feeding practices, there is a large section of the population that does not qualify for government programs and does not have the financial resources to properly feed their children. Considering this group of parents, and the shrinking number of clinics, it is essential that health care professionals educate mothers in at-risk environments to watch for cues from the infant while determining feeding practices.