Hi All,
    You people are great, the comments, depth of commitment and ideas,
help me grow each and every day. I am so glad that Kathleen Bruce
directed me here last March.
    On Others Feeding the Baby, Lora's idea was great, I do try and get
my moms to see that they really, really need to establish breastfeeding
before doing anything like that. I read a piece on a survey that stated
the 90% of infant feeding was done by the mother, whatever feeding
method she chose. So to me, unless you are employed, in school, or have
to be out (like a medical appointment) I see no real need for 'others
feeding the baby.' I (personally) feel that the issues brought up by
books and pamphlets (usually by bottle or formula companies) are another
form of subtle interference with breastfeeding and raise issues that the
mother would never even consider (denying the 'pleasure' of feeding the
infant to others and/or jealousy), if not 'mentioned' by a 'reliable'
source.  My husband has stated over and over again, he never felt
jealous and always sought out expectant fathers in the unit to tell
them, encourage your wife to breastfeed - I have never gotten up in the
middle of the night (he was getting up at 4AM to start his day, this was
a BIGGY to him), we don't spend money on bottles or formula, their spit
up doesn't stink and neither does their diaper. He did not have many
takers - maybe he should have mentioned that the size of my breasts
increased and after the 4th child, never went back to 34 again!
    On Medical Education, Gina - bravo! I agree that those of you within
the profession need to make the changes - although patients making
complaints or providing their own HCPs with research may help, in my
mind there is nothing like one professional helping to educate and
inform their peers. However, from someone who grew up in a medical
family and at one time considered it (animal not human) as a profession,
I found some issues that really need to be addressed first. One is that
the models were originally designed/approved of by men. Somewhere in the
heirarchy, in the early days, men were in control. As I grow older, OB,
GYN and Breastfeeding are areas I am beginning to become convinced men
have no place in (please don't take offense, you men out there) I  know
from experience that the majority have been great, excellent male HCPs
in all areas of the fields. However, I do not feel that someone who can
never understand the feelings and changes involved in these issues (or
ever experience them) lacks a certain empathy.
      The other issue that offends me even more than males in control of
the field is the unacknowledged or recognized part  that the formula
manufacturerers have/and continue to play in this issue. The model of
the central nursery system was sold on the 'grounds' of a central area
to keep babies for nurse monitoring, however it came from formula
companies who offered to 'grant' money to hospitals to build their
postpartum wards. They were successful in getting the infants as far
from the mothers as possible. As time went on and the HCPs realized that
central nurseries were havens of infections and that the nurses actually
worked harder and were not happy with the central nursery concept that
things slowly began to change. The formula manufacterers continued by
producing an estimated 90% (Action for Corporate Accountability
Newsletter) of the information and handouts that HCPs read and gave out
to mothers concerning breastfeeding. I always say that is like having JC
Penney write Sears advertising - no one in business would consider it or
even consider it rational, yet it exists with breastfeeding. Makes me
think that breastfeeding has no real value among most in 'power' or when
I am most cynical, wonder how much it costs to buy this situation. This
is just MHO and I ask that you who are on LactNet who have the interest,
credentials and power and/or positions, please use them to say enough is
enough. Lip service is not going to achieve BFI goals or the Healthy
People 2000 goals (right title?). Thanks for letting me vent and give
MHO and .02 worth on this issue.
    Patricia - your daughter's comment about not being able to keep the
COW out of the equation is great. But what I got from that statement is
that the formula companies, while to others appear to be striving for
the 'best' product available and 'so noble' are really admitting that
breast milk is still the 'gold standard' and that they are not near it
yet.

Leslie Ward
VIne Grove, KY
"He who is present at a wrongdoing and does not lift a hand to prevent
it is as guilty as the wrongdoers." Omaha proverb