To the Editor:

I just received my March Reception Room Copy of Parenting's BabyTalk
magazine.  I turned immediately to  the article entitled "Breast and
Bottle Feeding" to see what your magazine had to say.  As a
breastfeeding advocate I must tell you this magazine will not be
placed in my waiting area.  The article is unfortunately misleading
regarding the safety of artificial milks used to feed infants.

In its (presumabley) attempt to not make expectant mothers "feel
guilty", your article gives the false impression that artificial milks
are as good as breastmilk.  Nothing can be farther from the truth.
The American Academy of Pediatrics makes this very clear in their
December 1997 statement regarding breastfeeding.

Your responsibility as a consciencious consumer magazine is to present
the facts so that consumers can make well-informed decisions.  You
gave no information regarding the dangers of artificial milks (high
bacterial growth, intestinal infections, ear and respiratory
infections, protein intolerance leading to gasterointestinal bleeding,
etc.)  The tone of your article is "Breastfeeding is hard.
Bottle-feeding is easy and just as good."  Is this really the message
you wanted to send?  Bottle-feeding is hard.  Washing bottles,
preparing artificial milk, warming it, carrying it with you, etc.  If
you really want to even things out and provide information to women
who use artificial milk, you need to let them know how to safely
prepare, store, and warm it and how to properly clean/sterilize the
equipment (and list it all) and the water.

Please re-read your article and have a Board Certified Lactation
Consultant read it as well.  You may not have realized how negative it
is toward breastfeeding.  Perhaps it's author had a less than rosey
breastfeeding experience.  In any case, I'm sure you truly want to
help new parents do what is best for them and their babies.  Writing
articles disseminating the truth about both sides of an issue is the
best way to do just that.

Sincerely,
Theresa Chmiel, BA, CLC, ICCE
Senior Health Educator
WIC Breastfeeding Specialist
Pensacola, FL

P.S.  "Family is suffering from exhaustion; formula takes longer to
digest than breastmilk, so everyone can sleep more between feedings."
Does this really sound healthy?  Do you actually know, biologically,
why this can (it doesn't always "work") happen?  Do you think it is
okay to fill a baby's stomach with a protein (from another species)
that it has difficulty breaking down in the name of an hour of sleep?
Wow.