Ilene said: 
I just keep remembering the line in a video we show at work.  It's in the
Mississippi WIC produced "Another Way of Saying I Love You".  The
grandmother
of the newly breastfed baby, hadn't nursed her children and she laments "
I just
wished someone woulda told me".  I CRY EVERYTIME I show that video at
that point.
It's just so true...someone HAS to tell these new mothers the truth, that
formula is
a drug, it has it's uses but it's use is not as a substitute for
breastmilk when breastmilk
is readily available and it does have side effects like any other drug.
Are we all getting just a bit tired of pussy footing around this anymore?

Ilene, 
I totally agree, using the statement "Risks of Formula" is the honest way to get the message out but how do you deal with the reactions of people like   on the Breastfeeding Coalition who reacted with anger and wouldn't even consider being on the coalition anymore "if that's what we're going to do".......and these were a WIC employee and a University Extension Service Employee.   I didn't imagine they would take it so personally because of the professional  role they fill but they did.  That is the biggest obstacle to the widespread promotion of breastfeeding.......the personal feelings that are stirred by mothers who are also WIC employees, Dr's, Nurses and others in authority positions upon hearing that something they lovingly fed to their child could have been harmful.   And most can't really say they didn't know.  After all, we've been hearing the message for a long time that "breast is best" so the fault falls back to the parent that they didn't heed that.  To go ahead and promote the message "Risks of Formula" is to openly say they put their child at risk.   They have great difficulty looking beyond their own personal situation to think professionally and to do what would be best for future mothers.     How can we overcome that? 
In my case, I wonder if I should have eased them into the idea (started a discussion about what is informed choice and how does it make us feel if we are not given the opportunity to make an informed choice) rather than just dropping it on them like a bomb.  The "Risks of Formula" message just sounds so right to me I didn't think the reaction would be so negative and so personally motivated.   

I agree, the video "Another Way of Saying I Love You" is very touching and effective.  I also tear up at that same point that you do.  

Sally Myer

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