Sarah, I am aware that you were not referring to the babies “in the study.”  I am specifically addressing the BELIEF  SYSTEM at play.   “the issue the researchers had identified in their unit was that mothers whose babies were losing a lot of weight were more likely to become disillusioned with breastfeeding and turn to supplementation or give up altogether, despite health staff's best efforts to persuade them otherwise.”  

WHY would these mothers “in the researcher’s unit” BELIEVE that their babies were “losing a lot of weight?”

And then, if they DID BELIEVE their babies were losing a lot of weight, why would they be validated, so to speak, with a medically questionable solution to a non-problem?   

This is not personal, Sarah.  I am questioning an institution, which fails parents when it plays along with some of the false beliefs that have been allowed to develop in women who have no reason to know whether 10% or 20% weight loss, or an equal weight gain, for that matter, would be appropriate.  They depend on experts to teach them what is medically appropriate!   The obsession over weight has it's origins in our healthcare systems.  So these same institutions need to insure that they do no harm when they focus on weight and underfocus on providing adequate breastfeeding support.

I think the research might investigate why do medical institutions trip so lightly over the breast-bottle issue?  Why would the option of free formula on demand in hospitals ever have been allowed to continue into the year 2013?  There darn sure IS a WAR.  It is a war between providing adequate education and support for babies in hospitals and medical offices, and an industry which will do nearly anything, including disinformation, bribery, and political underhandedness, to make a profit on the ignorance of consumers.  From where I sit, the industry continues to win by a mile.

I know for a fact that the formula industry is dishonest and underhanded in it’s dealings.  I therefore think I have the duty (as an IBCLC) to question the premise and motives of a study involving their product, particularly when I disagree with it’s initial premise.

Sue Jacoby

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