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Having a baby in Mississippi

Medicaid and WIC income limits, paid leave, doula and lactation coverage, breast pumps and childcare prices in Mississippi, with the agency and link to apply for each.

Checked October 2026 · 28 sources

Short answer

Mississippi Medicaid covers pregnancy for incomes up to 199% of the poverty level, about $43,064 a year for you and one baby, and for 12 months after birth. WIC takes households of two earning up to $40,034. Mississippi has no state paid family leave program. Full-time infant care at a center runs about $6,171 a year (2022 prices).

What you can get in Mississippi

The short answer for each benefit, with its source. Tap Details for income limits, how to apply and the fine print.

Yes

Can Medicaid cover your pregnancy in Mississippi?

In Mississippi, Mississippi Medicaid covers pregnancy for household incomes up to 199% of the federal poverty level (about $43,064 a year for a household of two); Medicaid postpartum coverage lasts 12 months.

Source: KFF State Health Facts, income limits as of January 2026Details
Yes

Can you get WIC in Mississippi?

Yes, if your household's income is at or below $40,034 a year for two people (you and your baby). If you get Medicaid, SNAP or TANF, you may already qualify. You can start online.

Source: Mississippi State Department of Health, October 2026Details
No

Does Mississippi have paid family leave?

Mississippi has no state paid family leave program, so paid time off after birth depends on your employer; federal FMLA gives eligible workers 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave.

Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, October 2026Details
No

Does Mississippi Medicaid pay for a doula?

Mississippi Medicaid doesn't cover doula care.

Source: National Health Law Program (NHeLP), October 2026Details
Check

Does Mississippi Medicaid cover a lactation consultant?

We couldn't confirm Mississippi's Medicaid lactation coverage from an official source. Check with your Medicaid plan.

Source: Molina Healthcare of Mississippi, October 2026Details
Limited

Does Mississippi Medicaid cover a breast pump?

In Mississippi, Medicaid covers breast pumps only when they're medically necessary and prior authorized.

Source: Mississippi Division of Medicaid (Administrative Code text as published by Cornell Legal Information Institute), October 2026Details

Medicaid for pregnancy in Mississippi

Yes

199%

of the federal poverty level is the upper income limit

KFF, January 2026

12 mo

of Medicaid coverage after birth

KFF, July 2026

Program
Mississippi Medicaid
Agency
Mississippi Division of Medicaid
Medicaid limit
199% of the poverty level
12-month postpartum coverage since
April 1, 2023
Presumptive eligibility
Not confirmed. Ask the clinic or hospital.

As of January 2025 Mississippi had approved legislation for presumptive eligibility for pregnant individuals but had not implemented it (KFF/CCF); current status not verified.

Apply for Mississippi Medicaid Check your income
Mississippi Medicaid income limit by household size199% of 2026 guidelines (48 states and DC)
HouseholdPer yearPer month
2you + 1 baby$43,064$3,589
3$54,367$4,531
4$65,670$5,473
5$76,973$6,414
6$88,276$7,356
7$99,580$8,298

Count yourself plus each baby you're expecting. Gross household income; Mississippi rounds and updates on its own schedule, so treat these as approximate. Compare every state

Sources: KFF State Health Facts; KFF and Georgetown University Center for Children and Families; KFF; Mississippi Division of Medicaid; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Data as of October 2026.

WIC in Mississippi

Yes

Mississippi WIC gives pregnant and new parents, babies and children under 5 healthy food, nutrition help and breastfeeding support. You qualify on income at or below 185% of the poverty guidelines, and you may already qualify if you get Medicaid, SNAP or TANF.

Program
Mississippi WIC
Agency
Mississippi State Department of Health
Phone
(800) 338-6747
Apply online
Start the online form
Notes
The phone number is the WIC scheduling center. The WIC landing page lists a different toll-free number, (800) 545-6747.

  1. Start online or call

    Contact a WIC agency where you live to start, by phone or online. The agency schedules an in-person or virtual appointment to finish the application and nutrition check.

  2. Go to your appointment

    In person or virtual. Staff finish your application and do a free health and nutrition check.
Mississippi WIC WIC limits for every state
WIC income limits, 48 states and DCJuly 2026 to June 2027
HouseholdPer yearPer month
1$29,526$2,461
2$40,034$3,337
3$50,542$4,212
4$61,050$5,088
5$71,558$5,964
6$82,066$6,839

Gross household income. Count each unborn baby as a household member.

Sources: Mississippi State Department of Health; USDA Food and Nutrition Administration; USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Federal Register). Data as of October 2026.

Doula coverage in Mississippi

No

Mississippi Medicaid doesn't cover doula care.

Payment
No Medicaid doula benefit. Moms on Medicaid pay a doula out of pocket or use a free or sliding-scale community program.
Notes
No Medicaid doula benefit. The Division of Medicaid began exploring doula coverage in fall 2025 with no set course, according to the National Health Law Program. 2026 bills HB 78 (state doula certification) and HB 1493 (Momnibus, including a one-year Medicaid doula pilot) were introduced but had not passed as of September 2026.

36

doulas listed in Mississippi

CMS NPPES and state doula lists

Doulas in MississippiDoula coverage in every state

Sources: National Health Law Program (NHeLP); National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP). Data as of October 2026.

Lactation support in Mississippi

Check

We couldn't confirm Mississippi's Medicaid lactation coverage from an official source. Check with your Medicaid plan.

We couldn't confirm this from an official source. Check with Mississippi Medicaid before you count on it.

Notes
No primary source describing a Mississippi Medicaid lactation benefit was found. We checked Mississippi Administrative Code Title 23 (Parts 200, 203, 222 and 223, including the maternity and perinatal high-risk management rules) and the Magnolia, Molina and UnitedHealthcare MississippiCAN member handbooks; none mention lactation services. The Division of Medicaid's own website couldn't be reached for this review, so its provider manuals and fee schedules weren't checked. KFF's 2021 survey reported no Mississippi lactation consultation coverage.

Mississippi Medicaid member information

29

lactation consultants listed in Mississippi

CMS NPPES

Lactation consultants in MississippiLactation coverage in every state

Sources: Molina Healthcare of Mississippi; UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Mississippi; KFF. Data as of October 2026.

Breast pumps through Mississippi Medicaid

Limited

In Mississippi, Medicaid covers breast pumps only when they're medically necessary and prior authorized.

Pump types
manual; personal electric
Prior authorization
Required
Notes
Administrative Code Rule 209-1.15 (amended 9/1/2018) covers pumps only when medically necessary and prior authorized. A manual pump is covered when breastfeeding hasn't met the infant's nutritional needs or isn't possible; an electric pump (rented up to the purchase price, or bought) needs a listed infant or maternal condition such as prematurity with a longer hospital stay, cleft palate, mastitis or maternal hospitalization. Managed care plan extras weren't verified.

Mississippi Medicaid member information

Sources: Mississippi Division of Medicaid (Administrative Code text as published by Cornell Legal Information Institute); KFF. Data as of October 2026.

Childcare costs in Mississippi

$6,171

a year ($119 a week), the median for infant care at a center

DOL state estimate, 2022

Full-time provider prices before any subsidy, in 2022 dollars. The national median for center infant care was $12,647 a year. 82 county infant center prices were not surveyed in 2022; DOL estimated them from the price trend between other survey years.

Center infant care, lowest and highest county2022 prices
CountyPer year
Holmes Countyhighest$8,046
Lafayette Countylowest$5,721

82 of 82 counties have a center infant price.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Data as of October 2026.

Questions about having a baby in Mississippi

What is the income limit for pregnancy Medicaid in Mississippi?

Mississippi Medicaid covers pregnancy for household incomes up to 199% of the federal poverty level. At the 2026 poverty guidelines that's about $43,064 a year for a household of two, $54,367 for three and $65,670 for four. Count yourself plus each baby you're expecting.

How long does Medicaid cover you after birth in Mississippi?

Mississippi Medicaid covers you for 12 months after the pregnancy ends, a rule in place since April 2023.

What is the WIC income limit in Mississippi?

From July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, Mississippi WIC uses USDA's limits: $40,034 a year for a household of two, $50,542 for three and $61,050 for four. If you get Medicaid, SNAP or TANF, you may already meet the income rule. Call 1-800-338-6747 to apply.

Does Mississippi have paid family leave?

Mississippi has no state paid family leave program, so paid time off after birth depends on your employer; federal FMLA gives eligible workers 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave.

Does Mississippi Medicaid pay for a doula?

Mississippi Medicaid doesn't cover doula care.

How much does infant daycare cost in Mississippi?

The median price for full-time infant care at a center in Mississippi was $119 a week, about $6,171 a year, in 2022 (U.S. Department of Labor). Prices have risen since, so treat it as a floor and look up your county.

Sources

  1. 1.Medicaid and CHIP Income Eligibility Limits for Pregnant Women as a Percent of the Federal Poverty Level (as of January 2026) KFF State Health Facts. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  2. 2.Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility, Enrollment, and Renewal Policies as States Prepare for Major Medicaid Policy Changes (Table 2, January 2026) KFF and Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  3. 3.Medicaid Postpartum Coverage Extension Tracker (as of July 15, 2026) KFF. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  4. 4.Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility, Enrollment, and Renewal Policies as States Resume Routine Operations Following the Unwinding (Table 7: Presumptive Eligibility, January 2025) KFF and Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  5. 5.Mississippi Medicaid: how to apply Mississippi Division of Medicaid. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  6. 6.CMS approval of Mississippi State Plan Amendment MS-23-0015 (12-month postpartum coverage), effective 2023-04-01 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  7. 7.Where can people get help with Medicaid & CHIP? (state Medicaid links) Medicaid.gov (CMS). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  8. 8.Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines (91 FR 1797, Jan. 15, 2026) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Federal Register). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  9. 9.Mississippi WIC (state WIC page) Mississippi State Department of Health. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  10. 10.Mississippi WIC: state agency contact USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  11. 11.Mississippi WIC: online application or interest form Mississippi State Department of Health. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  12. 12.WIC: 2026/2027 Income Eligibility Guidelines (91 FR 23050, Apr. 29, 2026) USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Federal Register). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  13. 13.State Family and Medical Leave Laws (updated November 7, 2025) National Conference of State Legislatures. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  14. 14.State paid family and medical leave contributions and benefits (Feb. 6, 2026) Mercer Law & Policy Group. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  15. 15.State Paid Family & Medical Leave Insurance Laws (chart, April 2026) National Partnership for Women & Families. Accessed October 9, 2026.
Show all 28 sources
  1. 16.The United States Leave Law Report, Vol. 12 (July 28, 2026) Tilt. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  2. 17.Report of All Measures, 2026 Regular Session Mississippi Legislature. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  3. 18.Report of All Measures, 2025 Regular Session Mississippi Legislature. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  4. 19.29 CFR 825.110 Eligible employee Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  5. 20.Doula Medicaid Project: state-by-state chart of doula Medicaid efforts (last updated Sep. 2026) National Health Law Program (NHeLP). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  6. 21.State Trends in Medicaid Coverage of Doula Services (published April 1, 2026; data as of March 2026) National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  7. 22.Your Member Handbook, Mississippi MississippiCAN (Medicaid) (Compliance with Amendment 4 version) Molina Healthcare of Mississippi. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  8. 23.MississippiCAN Member Handbook UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Mississippi. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  9. 24.Medicaid Coverage of Pregnancy-Related Services: Findings from a 2021 State Survey KFF. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  10. 25.23 Miss. Code. R. 209-1.15 - Breast Pumps (Mississippi Administrative Code, Title 23 Medicaid, Part 209 Durable Medical Equipment) Mississippi Division of Medicaid (Administrative Code text as published by Cornell Legal Information Institute). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  11. 26.National Database of Childcare Prices: 2008-2022 (Data File) U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  12. 27.National Database of Childcare Prices Technical Report (September 2024) U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  13. 28.National Database of Childcare Prices: State-Level Estimates and Affordability Rankings 2022 U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.

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