Hi! I´d just like to share with you that this year two very dedicated  to
promoting breastfeeding doctors asked LLL leaders and IBCLC´s (including
myself)to participate in a Breastfeeding Course for pediatricians at a
National Mexican Pediatrician´s Congress. At the first meeting we had they
already had (unknowingly) rounded up an AIM company to pay for this (in
Mexico, M.D.´s in private practice are used to having labs and AIM companys
pay their ways to conventions, courses, workshops, etc.).  I explained to
them that none of the LLLeaders and IBCLC´s (we are both) would participate
in this course if it was backed up financially by any AIM company, and to
please make sure of this because we would walk out of there if we saw
anything suggesting this. Anyway, they tried, poor dears, to find other
sponsors form other labs, and got none (I have this malicious feeling that
labs and AIM have ther territories well defined. if you know what I mean,
which is sad). They had the option of charging a fee and ONE pediatrician
signed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Needless to say, the course was cancelled. It
was very sad for me and the team, because in Mexico we very much lack in
pediatricians that support breastfeeding, and although in rural communities
bf rates are higher that in the cities, the fact is that our bf rates in
general are very, very low, not only for starting breastfeeding, but also
for duration. At some point I thought about these questions, if it would
have been better to have the course sponsored by an AIM company and having
the doctors get this breastfeeding information that is so sorely needed!, I
conclude that it was a good decision, because we would have been giving a
double message to the doctors, that would have only supported the AIM
company much more!!! I know this is a very difficult issue, because the AIM
companies, as was said before use the very best publicists and marketers,
and they know how to geeet around the WHO code issues, etc., and they have
many innocent seeming tactics.(Plus the fact, that although in México they
have formally agreed with the government to comply to the Code, there are
no legal sanctinos when the violite it)  If in the U.S. you have trouble
getting funds for ILCA, (as well as other organizations)imagine what it´s
like in third world countries like Mexico and others!!!! Thank you for
bearing with me on this one, I usually just lurk, love to all!!!!! Cathy
Urroz de Arce, LLLeader, IBCLC, mother to Beto 23, Alvaro 20, Cathy 17

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