Karleen Congratulations on writing another fine article! Although I'm aware of the storm of protest over use of the word "devastating", I, for one, approve your courage in telling it like it is when defending the use of human milk over formula. Actually, the truth is, I'm a little nervous about our collective concern about the need to be 100% politically correct, and dare I say it, even apologist when we write and speak and advocate publicly for breastfeeding/breastmilk-feeding. I think there's a world of difference in the approach we should take on the one hand with individual mothers struggling with the decision to abandon breastfeeding, or those who for whatever reason (the 0.1%) who physically "cannot" lactate, and on the other hand the opportunities we have in the public arena (ie generally) to speak/write/strategize/advocate about how to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. The former require, IMHO, exquisite empathy, sensitivity, caring and tact, for humane reasons, and in recognition that the individual mother does the best she possibly can in her particular, unique circumstances, for her own individual baby. I do believe that the original wisdom of working with one mother at a time, and meeting her where she's at, can't be improved upon. We could even apply the rule to one healthworker at a time, or one policy-maker at a time. However, public, generalized statements about the importance of breastfeeding, and the "devastating" differences between breastfeeding and _not_ breastfeeding (formula) need to unambiguously clear, so that no-one is in any doubt - this is a time to speak up. I don't think that, in writings which will be in the public domain, or in pronouncements which will be repeated or aired or printed over and over, it is helpful to be so tactful that it becomes difficult for the average reader/woman in the street to become confused about our message. I find it achingly disappointing to see a TV interview with someone who is one of our known big names put forward a publicly and deliberately "moderate" point of view in order not to offend those who so loudly defend mothers' rights to bottle-feed. It adds to the general misunderstanding that formula-feeding really doesn't matter, so why are some of us making such a fuss about it? And of course the media love it. And so do the very militant formula-feeders. Years ago, when breastfeeding was under serious threat because of the move to provide replacement feeding to the babies of HIV+ mothers on a global scale, a UNICEF person said to me "But you people are only speaking in whispers". And sure enough, formula-feeding was so heavily supported and actively promoted for about a decade, with truly "devastating" consequences that I wonder now whether breastfeeding rates will ever revert to what they were before this initiative was first dreamed up. Some of us attempted to engage with those who seemed to be ringing the changes and deliberately maintained a carefully moderate stance so as not to be labelled fanatics. It didn't help. Thousands of babies died. If we don't speak up - who will? Sure, as I've recently discovered, today's mom's lists and blogs can be merciless and very public in distorting our words and intentions out of all proportion, so it's vital for us to be accurate and scientific. But do we write and speak for them, or for the health of babies now and in the future? In telling it like it is, I think we're allowed to use the occasionally negative descriptive word to emphasize a point. In fact, it might be high time we did. The truth is that physiologically, nutritionally and psychologically breastfeeding really _does_ matter, and it might be our very restraint that perpetuates the myth that it doesn't. So words like "devastating" are good! We shouldn't be intimidated into muting our advocacy. Pamela Morrison IBCLC Rustington, England *********************************************** 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