I would like to add a hearty, "Amen, Sister!" tonthis portion of Betsy's
post:

> I guess I am also feeling that I think due to our collective efforts or
>not, many babies go on to breastfeed exclusively despite what happens to
>them in the early days. Let's concentrate on helping the mothers to be
>successful. It will be because of consumer breastfeeding success and
>consumer demand that changes will maybe come and force OB's, pediatrician
>and the formula companies to back off a bit.

I apologize that my posts contain the = sign--I set the text to plain text
in OE but it does it anyway. If anyone can help me get rid of it, please
email me off-list :-).  I recommend Diane Wiessinger's article in Clinical
Issues in Lactation 2002 about The Tenth Step First. She talks about how the
community supporting bf (or not) has more power than what happens in the
hospital. 

Michael Woolridge also addressed this issue eloquently in his ILCA 2005
presentation on the LIFT project--the need to have a clearcut policy
promoting exclusive breastfeeding, coupled with the pragmatism of meeting
and working with families where they are. His talk is well worth the cost of
the audio CD/tape, which you can get from http://www.audiotapes.com/  I have
no financial interest in either of these; just think they offer important
information.

Lastly, the formula companies will never back off, with the resulting
cultural change, until they are forced by law to do so. I just finished
reading, re-reading and annotating The Truth About the Drug Companies: How
They Deceive us and What To Do About it, by Marcia Angell, MD. She was the
editor in chief of the New England Jnl of Medicine for many years. Although
this book focuses on the pharmaceutical industry in the US, it discusses the
international issues as well. I think it is a must read for all HCPs,
especially those of us who care about infant/maternal health and informed
consent. Bear in mind that 3 of the 4 big infant formula mfgrs are owned by
pharmaceutical companies.

Warmly,

Anna Swisher, MBA, IBCLC
Abundant Blessings
Austin, TX 

 

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