Joan Meek writes, "Formula use is a reality in our society."  Herein, lies
the essence of our predicament in regard to breastfeeding advocacy and our
financial connections with the infant formula industry.  Who can argue against
wanting the best for our infants, if they are not breastfed? Thus an industry was
born--the infant formula industry.  This ideology--formula is a reality--will
continue to ensnare us and destroy us.

I cannot help but believe that the infant formula industry deliberately
entraps various breastfeeding advocates by using the line that formula is reality.
Women and men of science are realists.  One never gets to the question of how
do we get to reality.  Isn't reality, yesterday's vision?  And, if we
continue to visualize infant formula as reality, then that is what the future holds.

Dr. Meek and other breastfeeding advocates (such as Dr. William Sears,
medical advisor to Martek) have done enormous good.  We should not forget their
contributions.  But one also has to worry about the targeting of our best and
brightest by the infant formula industry.  It obviously is a wonderful marketing
tool.  The industry wins big time.  The breastfeeding advocacy community
becomes distrustful of its own people creating enormous difficulties.  And the
general public believes again and again that infant formula is the reality.


What we know about DHA, the scientific research, was heavily funded by Martek
and Mead Johnson.  Name a research paper and behind the funding, for the most
part, are these companies.  The various foundations that have sponsored some
of this research are funded by either Martek or Mead Johnson or both.  The
supplement industry is a booming industry.  The need for supplements rather than
working with people to improve their diets is about par for our current mode
of reality.  Why eat right when you can take a pill?  Why breastfeed, when you
can use infant formula?

What we want as a reality is a critical question.  Breastfeeding advocacy has
to address this question without rancor or bitterness to those who believe
that the reality is infant formula.  The reality has been infant formula.  We
need a new view of our world or we will ultimately lose breastfeeding in the bid
by scientists to imitate  life.  Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

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