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Subject:
From:
Christine Pillado <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 31 Jan 2005 12:06:46 EST
Content-Type:
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In a message dated 1/31/2005 9:26:09 A.M. Mountain Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

Secondly  please please tell me how I can get involved with trying to make
the code  inforced in the United States. Why this all powerful country can't
inforce  this policy makes no sense. If we truely care about the health of
our  youngest citizens this has GOT to change. More than WIC changing ,  more
than anything else, women have to stop being bombarded with marketing  and
bad labeling at every turn. I need to know how to become involved with  those
trying to get legislation or codes or whatever passed and  changed.



Unfortunately this is a much bigger mountain to climb than it may  seem.  Our 
society (in general) does not value children.  Our society  does not value 
motherhood.  I have lived overseas and in all the traveling  I did, I never 
feared for my children's safety the way I do just going to do  errands here in the 
United States.  My daughter was born in the Republic if  Korea while I was on 
Active Duty.  My nanny, an older Korean woman, wanted  to know when the 
United States celebrated Children's Day (a VERY big holiday in  Korea) and I had to 
tell her that we don't even have one.  What does that  say about what we 
value?
 
My friend, from Germany, asked me where mothers could take their children  
(infants) if they didn't want to keep them.  Where indeed?  We jail  mothers who 
abandon their babies but won't allow mothers who WANT their babies  to keep 
them in the same hospital room.  I have walked out of more doctors  offices, 
dentists office and had more arguments with hospital staff because I  would not 
leave my children alone for a procedure and would not exclude my other  child 
from their siblings treatment (an ultrasound...nothing traumatic).   Why is 
this a fight?
 
I cannot stand to do in-patient consults anymore because it is too  
depressing to watch hospital staff mis-informing mothers on HOW to mother at  this 
crucial time by separating them from their babies, forcing formula and, in  
general not encouraging mothers to be informed and educated.  This is, of  course, a 
generalization as there are many health care workers who do their best  to 
keep mothers and babies together and promote skin to skin and breastfeeding  but 
they are in the minority.  Why?  Why do we thumb our noses in the  face of 
evidence based medicine but continue to teach new mothers and new health  care 
workers that the "old way", though not evidenced based, is the "real  way".
 
My sister is teaching 7th grade in Harlem and is trying desperately to help  
kids who have only known one way of life and see no point in getting an  
education because there is nowhere for them to take that education.  Would  these 
children have been helped if their mothers' had been encouraged to  breastfeed 
and supported in that effort?  We know that breastfed children  and their 
mothers enjoy a closer bond and those mothers make more of an effort  to stimulate 
their children in appropriate ways and that those children are more  likely 
to display an increased (or normal really) I.Q. later in life.  This  is asking 
a lot from these mothers and from our society.  What should we  ask for in 
order that babies are protected and their society shelters  them?  ( I keep 
thinking of the things I have read about cultures where the  mother and baby are 
taken care of for several weeks or months after birth so  they can focus on 
each other...heavenly!!)
 
It is a sad state of affairs.  I would suggest writing to every member  of 
the legislature in Texas and other states which are considering bills to  limit 
the promotion of formula.  In this litigious society a law is needed  just to 
enforce what should be common sense and is definitely maternal  instinct.
 
All of us working to improve this situation in the United States need all  
the help and encouragement we can get!  I am so grateful to be able to read  
LACTNET and see that there are strides being made and that we are not alone in  
our efforts!
 
Christie Pillado
El Paso, Texas

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