The Royal College of Midwives has just announced that it has decided to
lift its boycott of Nestle products.
 'Council believes it is far better to maintain a professional working
relationship with the baby milk companies, to ensure a flow of accurate
and evidence based information and to try and influence their policies
from the inside'. It says that 'The College will work with the formula
companies to ensure that accurate and up-to -date information is
available for women to make informed choices'.
I am  overwhelmed with feelings of sadness and annoyance at this. It
seems to me to be naive in the extreme to believe that the lifting of
the boycott will ensure accurate information is available to women.
This comes so soon after the National Childbirth Trust took money from
Sainsbury - a manufacturer of own brand milk. I resigned as an NCT
breastfeeding counsellor over that issue. It seems that we are losing
this battle fast. The milk companies must be laughing all the way to the
bank.
I feel so depressed over this, but tomorrow is another day and no doubt
I will bounce back then!
Carolyn Westcott RN IBCLC