>Subject: Sleep:  The Secret of Problem-Free Nights
Have any Lactnetters encountered this book?  It is by Beatrice Hollyer and
Lucy Smith, London:  Ward Lock, 1996, and says on the cover, "Endorsed by
the Health Visitors' Association."
There is not a SINGLE reference in this book, which is full of breastfeeding
and other infant related misinformation.  I'm amazed that it could be
endorsed by the HVA.  UK Lactnetters, in particular, how could this be?<

OK, I am not a health visitor, or even a nurse nor am I a midwife.  I have
spent 6 months of last year doing observations in a health visitor run child
health clinic, watching them with women and babies and talking to them about
their supprot for breastfeeding.

Deep breath.

I am un-astonished at this lack of references.  (I don't know how else to
put this!)

Their professional journal -- the only HV journal in the UK (which is also
shared by school nurses, and other Community Practitioners) was a revelation
when I first saw it.  Here is a letter I had in the most recent edition of
the Food Magazine (campaigning magazine):

>Dear Editor,
>
>Obi Amadi writes )Letters, Oct/Dec 2001) to defend advertisements for
>artificial breastmilk substitutes in the professional journal for Health
>Visitors.   These products supply a crude approximation of the nutrition of
>breastmilk (and do not supply the immune factors, health benefits for
>breastfeeding women, etc.)
>
>She points out that a maximum of 35% of the journal is advertising and that
>a maximum of 2/3rds of this is from artificial baby milk companies.  So,
>ONLY 23% (or almost one quarter) of the journal can consist of artificial
>baby milk company adverts!
>
>As a student researching the influence of regular visits to child health
>clinics on breastfeeding women, I have been looking at library copies of
>the
>journal from the last decade or so.  What struck me forcibly when first
>seeing the journal is both how the ads dominate each issue, and also their
>placement.  Almost every time there is an article on feeding babies
>(including articles promoting better breastfeeding support practice by
>Health Visitors) either on the page following or on one of the pages in the
>middle of the article is a full page advert for a breastmilk substitute.  I
>have even wondered if companies might even be offered this placement for
>increased payment!  The effect is to undermine any independent information
>in the article with glossy promotion.
>
>Obi Amadi states that the aim of accepting these ads is to let members know
>what information is available for parents.  Some of the ads in the
>professional journals are not allowed to be placed in magazines for the
>public, as this is restricted by law.  Furthermore, having seen up to 20+%
>of each issue full of ads for breastmilk substitutes, I have managed to
>miss, in my searching through the journals, any article which discusses the
>marketing tactics used by companies to promote their products.  Do the
>readers understand that that is why the articles are thoughtfully included
>month after month?  If they do look up the references supplied, are they
>also alerted to the fact that much of the research cited is paid for by the
>companies themselves?
>
>The companies are credited with making the professional conference and the
>journal cheaper for members.  But is this altruism?  Or is it a tiny price
>for them to pay for continual access to the health professionals who
>provide
>a universal support service for new mothers – their target market?
>
>Magda Sachs

This is the kind of thing the profession has to deal with.  The journal is
also full of ads for colic remedies, wonder anti-colic bottle teats,
etcetera.  Compared to midwives, they are just beginning to get to grips
with research based practice.  If you look at the literature, every four
years or so, there is a surge of 'what is a health visitor anyway' type
articles and a re-definition of the profession.  Currently they are supposed
to deal with whole families and public health (bf getting lost in some
interesting ways) and they retain their trad role of weighing babies and
doing developmental assessments at various ages.  If I *ever* figure them
out more fully, I will report back

Magda Sachs
Breastfeeding Supporter, BfN, UK

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