As an active member of ILCA, I was delighted to see the statement sent out on the ILCA listserv overnight, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the International Code for the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes (WHO Code) and commending international groups that monitor the Code. I have been closely following Code issues and marketing ethics for all of these 30 years and I can say, with conviction, that the Code is just as much needed in 2011 as in 1981. It is unfortunate that, too often, current practice in the workplace is seen as "normal" and the Code as an imposition. Many people don't realise, or have forgotten, that the Code was a compromise document, intended as a minimum standard. Not an aspirational goal, but a minimum. Remember when babies were fed on a strict 4th-hourly schedule because that was how it had "always" been done (at least in the individual's memory), or because it was considered "normal", because of long practice. It took courage to question these practices in workplaces and the community, but our pioneers did so. Remember when babies were placed in a central nursery, behind glass, and mothers (and fathers) had limited access, but a brave few questioned this and even dared to suggest rooming-in the babies with the mothers would be desirable. Shock! horror! Now a lot more is known about infant needs and mother-infant bonding. Mums in my part of the world now expect rooming-in, as standard care. Just like changing hospital practices to meet infants' needs, working at encouraging colleagues to respect the WHO Code and subsequent World Health Assembly (WHA) resolutions is do-able. In some workplaces that might take more courage than in other settings, but those grains of sand on the beach were once part of mighty mountains, eroded by drops of water. I am delighted that our international professional body has taken the time to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Code. Happy birthday, WHO Code. Virginia. Dr Virginia Thorley, OAM, PhD, IBCLC, FILCA Private practice lactation consultant, and historian Brisbane, Qld, Australia E: [log in to unmask] *********************************************** 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