The following was my reply to Gary LaPierre, the radio commentator who
took exception to the Maloney Bill.  I hope he'll read it.

"I have never written to a radio show before, but as a daily listener to
WBZ while I commute from Winchester to Framingham, where I work as a
pediatric nurse, I was quite appalled by your comments about
breastfeeding, and I felt that I needed to respond.  In the pediatric
office where I am employed, the folders containing the medical records
of babies who have been breastfed are practically empty compared to
those who have been given baby formula.  The formula fed infants are
seen frequently for diarrhea, rashes, fevers, and ear infections, while
the breastfed infants tend to be seen only for their routine
immunizations.  Naturally, there are individual exceptions to this
generalization, but my own experience, as well as all of the objective
research data that is available, shows that breastmilk keeps babies much
healthier than formula.

Why then would anyone object to making breastfeeding as easy as possible
for mothers, so that as many babies as possible could receive the many
benefits of breastmilk?  Mothers who breastfeed in public generally do
so discreetly, as they have no more desire to offend than you have to be
offended.  All they do desire is to be able to take care of their
children as conveniently and easily as possible.  Would you mind
explaining to me again why you have a hard time with this?  I don't get
it."

Lori Lerman, R.N., IBCLC

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