After watching the 20/20 piece, I thought:  Wow.  They, as in 20/20 actually
got it right.  I was waiting for a different twist--poor women being made
guilty, good formula companies just trying to make a safe product and the 'crazy'
breastfeeding 'advocates' at it again.  But, I was pleasantly surprised.
While there may be bits and pieces and semantics we can argue about, I think the
best news is it made the news.  Even the fact that they showed the original
adds---ah, so now everyone watching 20/20 'did' see those adds. Which is more
than was going to see them thanks to the money of the industry.  I now have a
face for Dr. Jay Gordon and will have it in my mind when I read his posts. His
words will stick in my mind:  Money can influence good medicine, and a large
amount of money can influence even good doctors.  Brave doctor speaking the
truth.  Sad commentary on the reality of our health care system.  And, the comment
"making money on the heads of our babies" was a powerful statement by Dr.
Phillip. Reading it in print was not as powerful as seeing their faces and hearing
their voices as it was said.  I want to personally thank Dr. Gordon, Dr.
Phillip, and Dr. Ratner for being willing to take the stand for breastfeediing and
give the babies a voice so it can be heard "babies were born to breastfeed."
Thank you to all working on the campaign and struggling against the Goliath
of the formula industry.  You are an amazing group of people.

I know that those watching from other countries don't understand this, but
the way it works is this Step One.  Make people believe it matters and they must
do it or they are risking their babies.  Step Two.  People believe you and
get angry that it is not easily done.  Step Three.  Make it possible on all
levels.  This is just how we operate.  Should be that we make it possible, then
persuade women to do it, but hey, we don't work that way.  Like smoking.  Step
One.  Convince people smoking causes cancer.  Step Two. Persuade People they
need to quit.  Step Three.  Blame the companies making cigarettes.  Step Four
Sue them. Step Five Create Public policy that limits smoking in public, etc etc.
and the cigarette companies are afraid to fight to hard anymore because they
lost big in law suits.  It makes no sense to many looking at us.  Sure, had we
made it difficult to smoke in public first, it may have told people they
should quit, but instead they would have screamed rights to smoke.  So, first we
had to make it so smoking was a risk.  This really is across the board with us.
 Think of car seats, seat belts, and many other issues.  FIRST we prove the
risk, THEN we make it possible to protect yourself.

It may not make much sense, but those in the advertising world are well aware
of American quirks and that is why the campaign needed to go forward as it
was.  Claiming *risks* not *benefits* because well, we already know there are
benefits, but so what.  We are a nation of people who are more likely to take
notice when the risks are scary enough -- and more so for our children than for
ourselves.

Best,
Pam MazzellaDiBosco, IBCLC
FL, USA

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