Dear Sandy A. and Susan Davis,

From Denise Ferrell,IBCLC

It looks like someone out there needs to write a small book detailing what
has already
been done in K.Huggins'  guide to weaning to outline the hazards of ABM.

Also,LLL needs to be defended-perhaps anecdotes of moms who have gone to
meetings(,not necessarily moms who have become members) who have been helped
by
LLL.

Included in this book should be quotes from popular articles:Amer____ B__y
magazine
and the study which unfortunately showed that one's HCP may not be
knowledgeable
enough to assist with Breastfeeding problems.

Then guilt needs to be defined and addressed directly as part of this book.So
does the
process of making informed decisions and the significance of infant
nutrition.

The question:Is infant nutrition more than
calories,carbohydrates,protein,fats and mineral and vitamins? should be
answered to show nature's design and the hundreds of added
benefits of mom's milk.

Perhaps whomever(?plural authors please!) writes this book could use the
royalties to
fund a study which would research the phenomenoma of nipple
addiction,preference and
or confusion.I think a few studies on the topic will give light to those HCP
who truly think
" a little ABM won't hurt".We could also include case histories of moms and
their battles
or struggles in overcoming /trying to wean from formula back to breast.How
many of us
are helping moms because BF was sabatoged by a few recommended bottles "till
her
milk comes in" or "until baby catches up to birth weight".We know that some
drugs and
procedures during labor can also disrupt a baby's attempts to nurse,but let's
face it,it
will take a few decades and miracles to  see less medical interventions in
hospital birth
settings.So,if we can show people how hard it can be to go back to breast
from the harmful ABM,AND show how some women's milk is delayed past 48-72 hrs
due to
exhaustion,etc. and that there are better ways to supplement a baby in a
medical necessity than with bottles we could have an increased incidence in
breastfeeding and
thus an increase in Healthy Children,Healthy Moms and Families.

Life is stressful enough and to have multiple ear infections,asthma,or
Respiratory Sinctival Virus -well, who needs these added stresses?It's time
for the medical profession as a whole to take a united front and teach both
sides of infant nutrition.As a
nurse I know how often if I say something and a patient's primary HCP
downplays,diminishes,or dismisses it as trivial,the patient sides with the
authority.

Aside:I was taking my LC brochures to the group of 4 OB's who have asked me
to supply each of their prenatals with my info. and what did I see this time
at the reception
desk? A lovely,large bouquet of  ABM and bunnies, and family ways cards
inviting moms  for Assistance and discounts on maternity wear.Yet another
marketing strategy
is to reach moms thru fashion;the Assistance part plays on moms vulnerability
since they have "such short stays in the hospital"(that was NOT a quote from
the pamphlet,as
none of this paragraph was).Short stays for new moms and babes in not NEW,and
has
been ROUTINE on the west coast since the early 1980's -maybe we should step
back from the paranoia that some congress folks are promoting and make sure
that we don't
feed into the panic which prompts the ABM makers need to ASSIST new families.

God bless you all.
Denise Ferrell,RN,IBCLC