Kimberly Seals Allers is a journalist and outspoken advocate for breastfeeding for African / America women. She attended (spoke at?) the US Breastfeeding Committee Conference, (Aug 4 - 6, 2012).  Did the USBC contact her, or their plenary speakers, (speaking on behalf of the low breastfeeding rates among, African / American women), to help stop Newark Nestle, when it started 7 months ago? I don't think so.  Nor would the USBC give Maria Parlapiano or me any contact names, where we could have raised the issue.  Some African / American women might have been pretty angry to know their "brother",  Mayor Booker, was selling them and their babies out to Nestle.

I have looked at the presentations for the recent USBC's conference.  I see lots about promoting breastfeeding, (which is good) but nothing about the Code / protecting breastfeeding (forgive me if I missed a session about marketing).  The very speakers and USBC partners that spoke (at the conference) about promoting breastfeeding were the same ones that Maria and I contacted about stopping Newark / Nestle and who responded, "we don't get involved" - some never even responded. What is going on???? Why does the USBC want to ignore the Code, (which the US has endorsed) and what the companies are doing? The more we work to promote breastfeeding the quicker the companies are at their drawing board to come up with new ways to undermine women who start to breastfeed.  Of course, the BFHI is a wonderful program but women are only in the hospital for a few days ... they go home before their milk even comes in.  Who is worried about what is happening in the community?  If not the USBC, then who? Oh, yes, a director did tell us that they didn't want to be seen as "fanatics".  Hmmm ... is it fanatical to speak out about an issue that is well researched to interfere with health? 

Did the USBC, (as Maria and I requested), even meet with Newark Mayor Booker or the Health Commissioner of New Jersey who could have stopped Newark / Nestle?  The USBC told us they "liked" the Mayor.  They could "like" him but did they "like" what he was doing?  The USBC tells us about what they are doing to promote breastfeeding but why won't they tell us what they are doing to protect it?

On the USBC's website under "Actions" they do not include anything about Code actions.  Under "Current Campaigns" they do list info about "Ban the Bags" but nothing about Newark / Nestle, or Michigan / Nestle (or any other Code violation).  Anyone looking at their website would never know what has been going on since they were set-up 12 years ago (meanwhile the marketing has gotten much worse).  Under "20 Actions in 20 Days" (for World Breastfeeding Week), Action 6 does cover the Code and formula marketing with the suggestion "tell us what you are doing" but what good does that do if when people alert them to what is happening they are told, (like Maria and I were told) "good luck but we don't get involved"?

Mayor Blomberg of New York is trying to implement the BFHI.  Many women are angry.  They think this means they must breastfeed and will not be given formula if they want or need it.  Don't you think if the USBC had been more outspoken about about why the industry gives the free supplies women, (who are not stupid) would understand the issue better and everyone would be applauding Mayor Blomberg?

Renee (in Vancouver)




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