Hello Marsha,

As we are not supposed to crosspost or forward without permission, I would 
like to ask your ok for forwarding your below statement about the necessity 
of reporting violations and misleading ads.
A couple of weeks ago, I told about the problems I had with a 
BFHI-organisation that organised a training for their personnel. The 
training was sponsored by an ABM-producer and the talk the lady held in her 
workshop, was violating the Ten Steps. This incredible circus has been 
roaming the country for about two years already and when we as volunteers 
were invited to this 'training', I jumped to the occasion of monitoring it. 
I was lucky enough to be 'lectured' (really... that was the style the lady 
used and I'm afraid she also lectures parents... :-s) by the lady who wrote 
this book on the subject of 'regularity, predictability and stimuli 
reduction'. She used a powerpoint with a ABM-logo on *every* slide and her 
comments were, like we say, toe curling. I felt só uncomfortable hearing her 
say what she said and knowing she brings this message all over the country 
and many people take it in for it to be the holy truth about childcare. Very 
sad. Anyway, I managed to keep my big mouth shut (I was a guest, you know, 
although I was surprised that many others did, too!) and was extremely busy 
with my laptop, writing down almost every word she said. I made a report out 
of my notes and sent it to Zorg voor Borstvoeding (Adrienne de Reede and 
Sanny van Ginkel), who are responsible for certifications and 
(re)assessments. To my shock, this was the first time they received a 
detailed report on this meeting. They were very glad to finally have a first 
hand report. It resulted in a letter to *all* certified organisations in the 
country, warning about this meeting and about sponsorship by ABM-producers 
and telling that organisations endanger their certification by engaging in 
this workshop.
Zorg voor Borstvoeding told me that they are desperately hoping for a more 
active attitude on behalf of the lc's, who are supposed to strongly object 
to Code-violations and Ten Steps-violations in general, but in certified 
organisations more specifically. Therefore I would like to bring to their 
attention the fact that it is absolutely necessary that *we* abide by our 
own Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. It should not be the volunteer 
who has to monitor the certified organisations; they ought to understand 
that receiving the certificate means taking up the responsibility of 
monitoring your *own* policy.
I'd like to point out that this is a world wide issue and use your mail for 
that by quoting.

Mind you... I was told by the organisation at hand that I should no longer 
address this issue at Nedlact (Dutch Lactnet), as it is very bad promotion 
for them...! I put the report of the workshop in the files there, but... 
anonimously! I'm really astounded by the fact that they try to intimidate me 
into keeping my mouth shut. They said their certification was endangered by 
*my* action of writing and filing the report with Zorg voor Borstvoeding! 
Huh?!
I'm probably still way to naive... hahaha. It slowly dawns on me that almost 
anything depends on power and money... Not everything, though. Had a mom 
with me last Wednesday who's baby doesn't latch too well (2 1/2 months old). 
I showed her the book of Marshall and Phyllis Klaus and started babbling to 
the little boy, widely opening my mouth and sticking out my tongue. He 
beautifully imitated me and wiggled and giggled for sheer joy. What a 
miracle, what an excitement, in the boy, in mom, in my trainee and myself!! 
Just basic communication and intense focussing. Absolutely gorgeous!

Warmly,

Marianne Vanderveen, Netherlands

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 2:30 PM
Subject: [LACTNET] Parents Choice Formula and Deceptive Advertising


> Deceptive formula advertising as described in Lara's post is rampant and 
> unchecked in the US. NABA found this again in its current US Code 
> monitoring report, "Still Selling Out Mothers and Babies." One of the only 
> recourses we have regarding deceptive advertising is to report it to the 
> Federal Trade Commission. Anyone seeing deceptive, false, and misleading 
> formula advertising should report it to the FTC at 
> https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01. While 
> reporting it to Lactnet helps us become aware of these ads, it does not 
> help do something about it. Each ad you see should be reported, as only 
> large numbers of reports will grab regulators attention.
>
> Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
> Weston, MA

             ***********************************************

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