Pamela writes "I wonder how it is that such agencies believe that providing
impoverished
mothers with free formula is in any way beneficial to the babies"

Your post from far, far away sure made me think; we view ourselves here in
the US & other "developed" nations as being so advanced, but your view from
a very "impoverished" area of the world is so clear.

Different "realities", I guess. In this nation, we are so culturally
conditioned to our "freedom of choice" and our "entitlements" (now there's a
concept I have problems with!), that denying formula to mothers for their
babies wouldn't result in universal breastfeeding, it would probably result
in huge class-action lawsuits! Which would umquestionably be resolved in
favor of the formula-demanders!

I LOVE hearing how things are in different countries, with different
assumptions and different conditions. There's nothing else that will knock
down complacency so fast as hearing from a respected colleague working under
entirely different circumstances!

Cathy Bargar RN, IBCLC Ithaca NY