The, in my view, tendentious and often grossly inaccurate
article that appeared in the WSJ on 22 July 1994, Helliker
K. "Dying for milk: some mothers trying in vain to
breast-feed, starve their infants", is frequently cited.
Yet, I have never seen mentioned two other articles, both
by Andrea Gerlin, that appeared in the WSJ on 29
December 1994. Readers recovering from too much year-end
merry-making? One, about 1000 words long, entitled
"Hospitals Wean From Formula Makers' Freebies", talks
about cessation of "so-called discharge packs" at the U of
Chicago's Medical Center, "part of a growing movement
against formula-maker marketing, which health-care
professionals fear may undermine breast-feeding and make
hospitals beholden to the companies". The second, about 800
words, is entitled "Workplace Nursing Becoming a Benefit",
and details steps taken by various firms that are "mindful
that the return to work deters many women from continuing to
breast-feed". It closes by reporting that "Even
Nestle USA ... has jumped on the milk wagon. Breast-feeding
mothers in its US headquarters in Glendale, CA may use
private rooms equipped with electric pumps, receive
telephone counseling and attend lunchtime education
sessions. Spokeswoman Laurie MacDonald says that 14 of the
1600 employees have used the in-house program since it began
in May. 'The reality is women have babies and they have
careers, too', she says." These two December articles are
no excuse for the front-page damage done (and still
being done) by that appearing in July, but they do seem to
suggest that not only does the right hand not know what the
left is doing; they may both be blissfully ignorant of the
other's very existence!
Jim Akre, Nutrition unit, WHO Geneva
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