Date:    Sat, 21 Mar 2009 09:44:36 -0400

 

<<I think this issue is of enormous importance. The apathetic, passive
approach the AAP has taken to infant feeding in general is appalling. One
can certainly see from this lightweight response that infant feeding is
clearly viewed as nothing more than a personal decision. It is certainly not
viewed as a public health issue, nor as an issue of paramount importance to
personal health and well-being.

 

By contrast, I wonder if anyone has ever heard of any AAP document that
argues that mothers should make informed decisions from "credible sources"
on the decision to vaccinate their children or not? They have even formed
committees to actively battle opposing opinions, to pressure legislators to
act to tighten control on exemptions,? and to actively promote their
position. By contrast, those peds who actively advocate for breastfeeding
receive little support at large and have to temper their language so as to
keep other peds on board (not the ABM response).

 

While I completely disagree with the AAP in every way where vaccines are
concerned, and further believe that little the AAP does is not tainted by
industry, one has only to look at the contrasting approach to these issues
to comprehend a significant cause of breastfeeding failure in the US. In
other words, the vaccination of children is so important from an AAP
perspective that they will take any and all action to oppose other
viewpoints and to force their position on families. Respect for parents who
choose not to vaccinate is absent and those parents are often badgered,
screamed at, humiliated, threatened with protective services referrals and
ultimately "fired" by the pediatrician.? Do peds berate women who
artificially feed their babies? Do they "fire" them for doing so? Do they
threaten them? I am certainly NOT advocating such behavior--only pointing
out how strongly the AAP and individual peds are willing to treat women over
an issue they consider important, while weakly defending breastfeeding only
when it would embarrass them to do otherwise.

 

I would say if nothing else, this article has certainly reminded us that we
are indeed a highly medicalized, bottle-feeding culture and if we want to
see change we have got to do it by very different means. We as LCs need to
stop colluding with the medical model, stop trying to be accepted and seen
as "professional" when the "professionals" are not on the side of mothers
and babies. IMO, we bear significant responsibility for where we are now. We
have, as a profession, been so concerned with "evidence-based" practice and
proving our value to those to whom we have abdicated power that we have all
but forgotten that while we may well be able to place some quantifiable
value on human milk, we can never place such a value on mothering at the
breast. 

 

Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA

Intuitive Parenting Network, LLC>>

 

Jennifer,  I wonder if I could have permission to repost your clear and
powerful letter.  I'd like to put it on my blog at  www.glorialemay.com/blog

The AAP is constantly being exposed for what it is---first and foremost, a
profit-centered club.  If they cared about children's health or children's
rights, we would be seeing passionate support of breastfeeding, a moratorium
on vaccines and an end to male genital mutilation. Until we see those moves
from the AAP, we will know they are a fraudulent, unscientific bunch of
money grubbers.

 

Gloria Lemay,

Vancouver BC

www.glorialemay.com

 

 


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