10-11-97

Cheryl Boudreau, Store Manager
Lawton’s
5515 Duffus St
Halifax Nova Scotia
Canada  B3K 2M5

Ms. Boudreau:

I am writing about your store’s flyer entitled "Breastfeeding: A Healthy
Choice" which a colleague saw during Canada Breastfeeding Week in late
September.  This was NOT a pro-breastfeeding piece and could have easily
been taken right out of a formula company marketing brochure!

The flyer says that breastmilk can be recreated by science.  This is so
far from the truth and is in direct violation of the WHO Code, of which
Canada is a signatory.  It further gives situations in which "formula
nutrition is an appropriate alternative."  However, just because "some
women may find it difficult" to breastfeed, you should not advise that
they switch to formula.  Rather, they should seek professional assistance
to work out the difficulty.  If a person complained that it was difficult
to swallow solid food, without further evaluation would you advise that
they swith to a total liquid diet? Also, when an infection or irritation
is present, this is not a contraindication to breastfeeding.  So many
mothers discontinue breastfeeding just because of such outdated and
inappropriate advice.

Advocates of breastfeeding are constantly having to counter the
propaganda of an extremely powerful and wealthy formula industry.  The
infant formula industry makes millions every day from the sale of a
product that is known to lead to life-long health problems.  I feel it is
unethical for you to be promoting artificial baby milks in such a way, in
an article that appears to be promoting breastfeeding.  You may argue
that their are situations where the artificial product is necessary.  I
readily agree.  But the infant’s physician should be making that
evaluation very carefully, and not frivolously, as you have done.

Laurie Wheeler, RNC, MN, IBCLC
Louisiana (USA) Breastfeeding MediaWatch