In my notebook on my desk I have an "essay" that I was planning to work
on and submit for publication to JHL or something, once I got through
this exam today.
It was about what I observed, and how I felt, when I attended my first
international breastfeeding conference in April, in Europe. As Regina
has stated it was about Code violations and companies using formula
company tactics to curry favour at conferences, and no one challenging
it because most of these companies claim to support breastfeeding-which
of course the formula industry claim ad nauseum. The baskets of lollies,
the give aways, the attractive cloth bags, not to mention the Avent sign
above their stall with a list of products that included bottles and
teats. Wherever I walked I was greeted and targeted with freebies that
are ultimately paid for by the mothers I aim to serve.
I was also struck by the free booklets, stickers, badges and eminently
useful items on offer from the breastfeeding and health agencies
themselves. IBFAN had material and baskets of lollies like the rest of
them, and yet I found myself not even accepting anything there because I
felt that there was something so very wrong here-these agencies, who do
wonderful work, shouldn't have to spend money wooing breastfeeding
advocates like us. Yes their buttons and bumper stickers are plucky and
fun, but why aren't we paying for them so that money can be spent on
implementing and writing policies, conducting research, truly
protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding? I know advocacy is
part of their work and raising community awareness is part of that, but
I would rather spend $2 on a bumper sticker than know that that money
has been deviated from the causes and work that may have more impact for
increasing breastfeeding initiation and duration.
I didn't go to that conference to be marketed to, by products that may
be more politically correct yet none the less fundamentally profit from
women's infant feeding choices. I don't have the answers-we just had to
cancel our first UAE international conference because we couldn't raise
enough money. Nestle offered to fund the whole thing of course and there
we were in a quandary. (well, not really!) why does maintaining the
principles that we strive for and live by mean such compromise? If we
abide by our ethics then there will NEVER be a breastfeeding conference
in this country. Is that better or worse for breastfeeding and our
community?
I feel that what is intrinsic about breastfeeding is that it is free, so
why does money talk so loudly at our own conferences?
Crawling back to my perfect world and post exam fall out. I know there
are no answers but if we give up the struggle and the ideal then surely
we are just part of the problem.
Meg Kingsley
Lay Breastfeeding Supporter, Dubai UAE
E-Mail : <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]
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