Jeffrey -
I liked your letter a lot. One thing that worried me, however, was the
statement that breastfeeding protects a baby from SIDS. I know there are
some breastfed babies who have died of SIDS. It would be more accurate to
say that breastfeeding is associated with a lower rate of SIDS, or that
breastfeeding offers some protection against SIDS.
With a bit of juggling, you may also be able to eliminate references to the
baby as "he," so as to include girl babies, too. For example, instead of
"the baby and his mother," you could say "baby and mother" or "babies and
their mothers."
Your message is already strong and clear and nicely worded, so I don't know
if you want any more in it, but there are always the long-term hazards of
formula to consider, such as early-onset diabetes, childhood cancers, etc.
These are things I would guess any parent would be most anxious to protect
their child from, and they are not as well publicized. I think most people
have no idea about this.
Anne Altshuler, RN, MS, IBCLC and LLL Leader in Madison, WI
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