Magda,

Thank you for your sensitivity to my feelings about "advice" vs
"counselling", and how the latter might well be seen, in a resource-poor
setting where breastfeeding is the cultural norm, as a recommendation,
rather than help with an option, since an authority figure in a white
uniform with a can in her hand, suggesting that a mother can "choose"
something so alien would not be taken at face value (there must be a reason,
why else would this be happening?)

However, I'm beginning to wonder if making a clear recommendation might not
be  much better.  It would certainly be more honest.  In what other
life-or-death situations are we encouraged to "choose" - surely we expect
our healthcare providers, on whom we depend, to give us the benefit of their
vast experience and superior knowledge, don't we?  But somehow we seem not
to see this in the case of infant feeding options where not to breastfeed
could place a baby at risk.

I'm afraid I missed the post someone recently sent in asking for help with a
Consent Paper for the use of formula - but if anyone has such a thing, I
would love to see how it is worded, and to know under what circumstances a
mother would be asked to sign.

Pamela Morrison IBCLC, Zimbabwe
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