Hi Janice and Lactnetters
It seems to me there is some convoluted logic in the statement. Besides all the obvious points, they seem to have forgotten that almost 50% of babies are female, the adult women of the future, who, on population basis, may not be as good as they could be if fed on artificial baby milks. So, even on this ground alone, this stance is hardly helping women.
Since the authors view artificial feeding as the saviour of *mothers*, I guess they are ignorant of maternal health sequelae and accept higher breast cancer rates in non-BF populations as "normal". The authors probably also accept early return of menses as "normal", despite the inconvenience and drain on iron reserves. (The mothers I talk with, if considering whether to quit breastfeeding early, invariably choose breastfeeding when, as part of information to weigh up for informed choice, I tell them to expect their periods early if they wean!)
From a feminist perspective, it amazes me that it isn't obvious to some of those claiming to champion women's rights, that artificial feeding is very patriarchial, and grossly undermines the value of a matriarchial activity and of women's bodies and our special knowledge. (There should be more writing published on these issues.)
Virginia
Virginia Thorley, OAM, MA, IBCLC
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
email: [log in to unmask]
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On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 Janice Reynolds wrote:
(this showed up today on my google news alert for breastfeeding)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050429/dcf019.html?.v=9
Independent Women's Forum Expresses Concern in Open Letter to Secretary Leavitt
Friday April 29, 11:06 am ET
Proposed UN Infant Formula Policy Anti-Woman, Anti-Mother & Anti-Development
WASHINGTON, April 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Independent Women's Forum today announces that it has sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt expressing serious concerns about United Nations policies that could ultimately lead to a ban on infant formula throughout much of the world, setting women's development back decades.
(see link above for rest of press release)
(I found this link for the website of this organization that issued the press release:
The Independent Women's Forum
http://www.iwf.org/)
Janice Reynolds
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