I talk about a spectrum of risk: The risk of the lack of breastfeeding (at the breast, oral facial development, bonding, skin to skin) The risk of the lack of human milk (There are women who EP and go through hell to do it, and they need to hear what a wonder they are achieving, even if they never got to full-on breastfeeding). The risk of formula use - which includes the need for sterile UHT formula for the first 8 weeks (adjusted) but also includes the risks of the modified cow's milk in the gut itself. I deal with the issue of how to present this info to parents, as not focussing on formula, but the lack of donor human milk. I talk about the point that no baby in the world needs formula, and formula could disappear overnight if formula companies went bankrupt. because the real issue isn't what there are Mums who won't, and can't, and so formula must be there. The real issue there is that there is no human milk to give the babies of these women. So I position it as against profiteering, and against reducing mother's choices - they have no choice but high risk, high price formula, if their breastfeeding does not go to plan, or they have chosen to refuse their breast. So the issue is not 'choosing' formula, with the much higher risks. The issue is being 'stuck' with formula, as formula marketeers prevent safe, cheap and universal human milk sharing from being established. And everytime someone says "formula saves lives" I point out that daily, formula kills more babies that it 'saves'. 3 500 babies a day every day, and we do these babies no service, by not honouring them by mentioning them. So the "My baby was in NICU and needed formula" becomes "Your baby was in NICU and needed human milk, and formula prevented that from happening." You are not commiserating with a Mum that she used formula, you're extending sympathy that there was no human milk for her baby. I genuinely believe we should set up donor banks to provide donated human milk to women who choose to refuse. It's their breasts, their choice - but let us carry the health of the baby, huh? More than enough human milk in the world, to go around! :-) Morgan Gallagher (pressing the 'magic' button on her keyboard, to make formula disappear from the world instantaneously... button appears to be broken.) No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.6.0/1601 - Release Date: 8/8/2008 9:02 AM *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome