I think the timing of the Royal college of Midwives'  (UK) decision
couldn't have been worse, as Carolyn says so soon after the NCT decision to
take sponsorship from Sainsburys, manuf. of their own formula.
The lifting of the boycott doesn't surprise me, however.. but
what disappoints me most, as someone who has worked on this issue for
nearly 25 years, is the NAIVETY of an organisation (new to the bf political
scene really) to assume that you can work 'from the inside' with one of the
biggest companies in the world, and any formula company so commercially
threatened by bf activists.
This same naivety has influenced bf advocates, and midwives, to work 'with'
formula companies. Representatives of the midwives' prof group in australia
have told me many times over the years that their members are professionals
and discerning, so having them exhibit at conferences etc (fortunately, now
stopped at national level) without being influenced !  even as midwives
walk around with diaries, pens etc and request and gladly accept
paraphernalia for hospital walls displaying formula company logos.
I think the Florida action on smoking should be looked at again and again
as a glimmer of hope for us that one day some state/national govt will take
similar action against formula companies as was taken against tobacco
companies.The only difference that I can see is that there is never a
justifiable/logical/health reason for someone to use tobacco.
Jan Cornfoot, editor of Birth Issues
Brisbane, Australia

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