I have been a lurker for quite a while, but nevertheless enjoy reading the posts. I am an Australian neonatal nurse working in a 12 cot special care nursery. I have an interest in lactation and qualified as an IBCLC two years ago. I have had concerns for quite a while regarding the sample bags (Bounty Bags) given out at our hospital in the postnal ward--these are apparently distributed to over 90% of new mothers in Australia so its big, INFLUENTIAL business. Athough no formula samples are in the bag, the information book contains advertisements for teats and bottles and encourages commencing solids from 4 months, practices which are against the WHO code and undermine exclusive breastfeeding. I also raised some other content concerns. I have written a personal letter to the distribution company as well as the paediatrican who they state has read and approved the editorial content of the book. He claimed he had no knowledge of what advertisements they used and for me to address my concerns directly to the distribution company (which I already had done!!). The Paediatrician , while justifying his opinion that its OK to start solids at 4 months, did state that if I know of controlled trials or epidemiologic studieds which showed the infants in developed countres that were fed other infants foods from 4 months are "at higher risk of malnutrition, poor maternal bonding, disease or death" to give him the evidence and he would use it as the basis of change for the next edition. So I am asking for your help so source all the evidence I can--obviously the WHO recommendation and Australia's own natiional breastfeeding guidelines are not enough. I am also looking for further evidence for safe co-sleeping. I have the UNICEF publication and James McKennas work but this paediatricians stance (and again written in "that publication") that co-sleeping is contra-indicated in all instances. The fact that breastfeeding is enhanced is does not matter--he doesn't believe it is safe under any circumstances . Any finally I need further references regarding the inadvisablilty of heating milk in the microwave--again our own national guidelines say it is contra-indicated and I am aware of research that shows a marked decrease in antiinfective factors of EBM. I believe, if I can give a solid evidence based reply, that the information in the 18 000 books that are distributed monthly will be changed to a become more breastfeeding friendly so any help any of you can give me in this regard would be greatly appreciated Many thanks Marian Rigney RN IBCLC _________________________________________________________________ SEEK: Now with over 50,000 dream jobs! Click here: http://ninemsn.seek.com.au?hotmail *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html