One of the midwives here gives ABM to the Humane Society.  Great
for orphaned baby critters.

You need to be careful Francine. It can kill some orphaned animals very
quickly. Especially rabbits. Which I guess is why they're on the cans of
infant formula?

I think we need to respect one another's judgment in the decision re what
to do here, while considering the implications of our actions. We are
juggling many different priorities and needs, and in an area where really
poor women are bottle-feeding, I would be careful to ensure that I didn't
encourage waste, and also careful to ensure that the recipients, if any,
were grateful to the right people, and didn't think the proximate supplier,
the charity or healthworker, endorsed the product. What about a label,
covering everything but the how to use table, saying, "This formula was
donated unasked by the company to mothers who had indicated they wished to
breastfeed, having being paid for by the bottle-feeding mothers from the
excessive profits on infant formula which subsidises this and other
unethical marketing practices. The World Health Assembly has requested
companies to stop this practice, and in some countries it is illegal as it
undermines breastfeeding. Breastfeeding women are giving this can to you, a
bottle-feeding mother, as a way of lowering your costs and as a gesture of
solidarity, and in the hope that if you have another baby, you will
consider breastfeeding or get the help you need to succeed. You can contact
a breastfeeding mothers' support group on xxx if you want to know why you
failed if you tried. And if you didn't try to breastfeed this time, we
would suggest that if you plan another baby, you check out the risks of
artificial feeding and make a fully informed choice. Meanwhile best wishes
to you and your little one."
Would that dry up supplies? I think we need to be a little outrageous in
combatting the outrageous tactics of companies which tearget breastfeeding
women.
I make a point of thanking the bottle-feeding women of the country, the
poorest families we have, whenever I attend any function with company
funding. And yes, I do go because I have things to say to people who go for
other reasons! Being completely independent has many advantages....

Maureen Minchin, IBCLC. Christ Church Vicarage, 14 Acland St., St.Kilda,
Vic. 3182 Australia. tel/fax: 61 3 9537 2640
"Taking paths of least resistance is what makes rivers - and people -
crooked." poster in Palmerston North NZ bookshop...