Hello to all,

I needed to brag to 1000 of my closest friends.  One of the major discount
baby stores in our city has a baby fair every year.  The first year it was
small but, I did well there.  Last year it was bigger and one of the big
multinational ABM companies was there passing out diaper bags with formula
and coupons and they donated a $1000 savings bond as a prize.  We did even
better last year.  This year when the baby store approached me about
participating I asked them to be a major sponsor and I would ask that the
ABM company not be invited.  They told me that they already had invited
them.  I countered with an offer to provide the savings bond and speak for
free to the attendees if they would insure that the ABM company would follow
the WHO code at the fair.  I promptly provided them copies of the code which
they said the would forward to the ABM rep.

I received a call today from the baby fair coordinator to finish up the
details for the fair on Saturday.  She proudly informed me that one of the
prizes would be FOUR CASES OF FORMULA!  I went ballistic.  I reminded her
that it was against the Code which they agreed would be followed.  She
turned me over to her boss who told me that it was not his business to
enforce the Code. I argued for the better part of 45 minutes with him about
how it was unethical of him to tell me he would follow the WHO code and then
go back on his word.  I also told him MY professional ethics would not allow
me to be associated with an organization who promoted the use of formula.
He said he never promised and besides he couldn't require just one vendor to
be held to a different standard than the others.  No problem, ALL of the
vendors should follow the code.  I also threw in a few things about how this
wasn't a lifestyle choice, it was a health issue, and if he wanted to
promote healthier babies through his baby fair then he couldn't very well
allow a vendor to offer a product that made babies sicker.  He promised to
talk to his boss and see what he could do.

I got a call back this evening.  The ABM company will not be allowed to
provide its cases of free formula as a prize and they will be asked not to
provide ABM samples.  YAHOOO!

I also am going to be given a 20 second radio spot and I would like feedback
from you all.  I am currently thinking it will be as follows:

"Did you know your baby could be a guinea pig for a drug company?  Formula
is the biggest experiment in the history of the human race and they use our
babies as their Guinea pigs.  Formula fed kids, as a group, have lower IQ's,
die more often from SIDS, get more cancers, and even have more respiratory
and ear infections.  Formula compaines even tell you that breast milk is
best.  In fact, human milk is the only formula with 5 million years of
product testing and never a recall.  My name is Linda Pohl.  I am a board
certified lactation consultant.  I opened Bestfed in the Nursing Mom's
Resource Center to help moms who want the best for their children.
For breastfeeding information or assistance, top quality pumps, nursing
fashions, or breastfeeding accessories, visit either our stores.  Call
BESTFed, 555-5555 in the west valley or 555-5555 in the east valley.  We are
in the White pages under Nursing Mom's Resource Center."

Please e-mail me about the radio spot, I need to be ready to do it by Saturday.

Linda Pohl, IBCLC
Phoenix, Arizona USA
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