Thank you Renee for raising this crucial issue.
I heartily agree with you. I know it's hard for some to take on a
political role with breastfeeding because of professional constraints,
but I don't think there is anyway around the fact that breastfeeding is
a highly political issue. Breastfeeding is physiologically normal, and
yet changing our language is taking eons. Breastfeeding is what our
babies are biologically programmed to expect, and what are bodies are
designed to do and yet Nestle and their partners have successfully
created a cultural shift where it is now seen as a "lifestyle choice"
and "optional." They are doing this now with water -- working hard to
undermine our trust in our public water supplies, questioning the idea
of access to clean water and sanitation as human right and selling back
to us an inferior product at highly inflated prices. Access to water is
also a political issue.
If breastfeeding wasn't political, real public health campaigns that
painted breastfeeding as normal and illustrated the risks of not
breastfeeding would be well funded. So would adequate parental leave
(in the US, and frankly even here in Canada -- what we have is not
universal or adequate as far as I'm concerned) and good comprehensive
education of HCPs on breastfeeding. Instead we have Nestle and others
doing a lot more of the education on infant feeding than anyone else.
Although I can't always keep up with Lactnet, I haven't seen the event
happening this week here in Edmonton, AB Canada posted yet. My alma
mater, the University of Alberta is honouring Peter Brabeck-Letmanthe
(chair of Nestle's board) with an honorary degree on Thursday March
1st. An easy action you can take is here on the Council of Canadian's
website: http://canadians.org/action/2012/nestle.html
Thanks to all of you for what you do to help mothers and babies,
Kirsten Goa
Edmonton, AB
Canada
Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:34:52 -0800
From: Renee Hefti<[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Nestle, Nestle and more Nestle
Dear Friends,
Some people have contacted me, (off line) saying they are not comfortable with what they call the "political" side of breastfeeding and they don't feel Lactnet should be used for that purpose. But please note: The Innocenti Declaration calls for "Protecting, Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding". "Protecting", is listed first. i.e. Protecting breastfeeding from the commercial pressures to formula feed. "We are setting women up for failure when we encourage them to breastfeed but don't control the marketing of formula" (Renee Hefti - Graham, 2010).
For non-USA people on Lactnet: this post is concentrating on exposing what is going on in the US, (with Nestle), but it might help people in other countries, find ways to know what the companies are up to. We must all work together.
I am getting some (off-line) emails about health / partnerships with Nestle in the US as well as what we have been documenting about the situation in Newark, New Jersey, USA. It seems, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Governor / State of Michigan have also announced partnerships with Nestle (and a few more leads I am doing research on).
Some health professionals are not comfortable with speaking out on line, for fear of retaliation in their work place. i.e. there are people who would like to give information but do not want their name associated with it. If, this is the case, please email me directly. I will then ask Lactnetters what they have heard from that area (and I can Google the city / State - these partnerships are announced). I will not disclose your name.
I hope that a US Lactnetter will come forward to collect this information, (anyone willing to volunteer?) but until that happens, I will do it. In a few weeks, when we feel the report is more complete, it will be turned over to the Surgeon General and the President of the United States, via the First Lady, Michelle Obama, who breastfed her babies. We are working in the trenches but we must have help from the top.
I would also like to know if any Canadians on Lactnett are aware of Nestle partnering with health professionals / institutions in our country.
Any suggestions? questions?
Take care,
Renee (from Vancouver, Canada)
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