On March 1 2002, this was posted to Lactnet:

>
>Here's a link to a New York State program for 9th-12th grade students.  It's
>set up over several lessons, so you would have to cut it down a bit, but
>there would be lots left for the FT teacher to cover if desired:
>
>http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/b_feed/level9.htm
>
>
>Cheryl Reutemann
>breastfeeding support group mom

I checked out the link at that time but didn't share my thoughts with
Lactnet, and it's been bugging me ever since.  Did anyone else have a
look?

My concerns:

Formula company publications are cited in the references.  Thus, it
should come as no suprise that the language and context of
information in many places undermine breastfeeding.

La Leche League is referred to throughout as simply "La Leche," which
indicates to me that the authors of the curriculum lack familiarity
with the leading authority on breastfeeding information and support.
No LLL publications are cited in the references.

The "advantages" of breastfeeding are presented with the qualifying
phrase "in developing countries," leaving students with the
impression that only people in non-westernized countries need be
concerned about risks of formula-feeding.  As we all know,
formula-feeding has many disadvantages in developed countries.

After viewing a panel presentation on human milk vs. formula by
representatives of "La Leche," formula salespersons, and/or HCPs,
students are assigned to write an essay supporting either
breastfeeding or formula-feeding.  Later in the curriculum, students
are to consider which feeding option they would choose and why.  I
feel that it is inappropriate to present infant feeding methods as a
choice with neutral outcomes.  Also, I believe that this is liable to
entrench these teenagers into their choices too soon, and leave them
less open to new information in the future.


There are a number of laudable features of the curriculum, including
an exercise in reading between the lines in formula company
materials, and an exercise in evaluating various baby products based
on consumer product information.  However, the shortcomings of this
curriculum still concern me.  I'd love to see some New York State
Lactnetters have a part in rewriting it.

Margaret
mom of two, LLLL
Longmont, CO

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