Saw two interesting articles that need some follow-up from those of you
with more experience in these areas (and citations perhaps.)  The first
was a column in the Philadelphia Inquirer, by Melissa Dribben,
criticizing Babywise, (which does not seem to be big in this area, but I
did get a question at LLL last week.)  She interviewed medical
researchers who criticized the program, and concluded it could lead to
child abuse.  She did not, however, include anything about the fact that
the program puts breastfed babies in danger.  Someone with experience
might want to point this out.  Dribben is pro-BF.  Today's newspaper
(6/23) can be found at http://www.phillynews.com.  Letters to the editor
go to:  [log in to unmask]

The second article was in the 6/30/97 Business Week.  It was the cover
story, titled "Hey Kids, Buy This."  The first para. talked about how a
baby becomes a consumer in the first 3 days of life.  "...by the time she
went home..., some of America's biggest marketers were pursuing her with
sampes, coupons and assorted freebies.  P & G hoped {its diapers},.....
Bristol-Meyers Squibb Co. sent along some of its Enfamil baby formula."
The article talks about the negative culmulative effect of all this
advertising. This is a good opportunity to point out the harm that this
type of advertising, standing alone, does.  Business Week online is
www.businessweek.com and AOL keyword:  BW.  Letters to Readers Report:
[log in to unmask]  AOL:  readersbw.

One last comment.  I rec'd a letter today from the CEO of Jefferson
Hospital regarding the letter I sent about the hosp. TV advertisement
showing a baby bottle.  It was a very positive letter and outlined
briefly their steps to increase BF. It concluded by saying "You can be
assured that further commercial productions will not repeat this error."

Melissa Kirsch, J.D., LLLL, Mt. Holly, NJ