Hello Lactnetters. Here is a draft of my reply to the Monterey Bay guy. Happy World Breastfeeding Week! -Sue Jacoby Dear Mr. Webster, As a Board Certified Lactation Consultant I work hard to educate the public about the many benefits of human milk for the human species. I recently reviewed, via the Internet, a copy of a letter you sent to another concerned breastfeeding advocate, in which you explained some of the reasons why the Monterey Bay Aquarium has chosen to use the baby bottle as a symbol to educate children about nursing whales. I am frankly appalled at your explanations, and I find them to be not only unenlightened, but disingenuous as well, particularly your closing statement, which I believe says volumes about your underlying beliefs and bias. You state: "As there are also indications that mother's milk often contains PCBs, dioxin and other pesticides used in agriculture, this seems to be a less clear-cut call than it once might have been. We feel it is prudent to let the parent make this choice, and we prefer not to suggest, of promote, one alternative over another. Does this statement mean that the Board of Directors of the Monterey Bay Aquarium believes that infant formula might be a "prudent" choice for babies due to the possibility of environmental contamination? Is the Monterey Bay Aquarium in possession of information about an alternative to mother's milk which DOES NOT contain PCBs, dioxin and other pesticides??? Please advise immediately. (Since you are fond of analogies, how about this one? "Since there is always the possibility that a baby could be killed while strapped into a car seat, and survive if thrown clear of the wreckage, we feel it is prudent to let the parent make the choice, and prefer not to suggest, or promote, one alternative over another." Am I comparing the use of infant formula to a car wreck? Read the article titled: "The Hazards of Formula Feeding" by Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC, Journal of Human Lactation, 9(2), 1993 before you make up your mind. One quote from this document: "A risk/benefit analysis by the United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences estimated that for every 1000 infants born in the US each year, four will die because they were not breastfed.") In spite of your protestations to the contrary, using a giant baby bottle is a mistake of gigantic proportions. Had you truly investigated this subject you would have discovered that a large segment of the educated parent community is far more disgusted by the baby bottle image used in this way than any parent could ever be if shown a beautiful nursing image. Having just returned from a vacation to Europe, I can tell you that within the walls of the Vatican, as well as in many other museums and cathedrals, I saw countless beautiful and tasteful sculptures and paintings of nursing mothers. If millions of tourists have managed to be exposed to such breastfeeding images, certainly the visitors to the Monterey Bay Aquarium could, as well. Your halfhearted attempt to link breastfeeding with "mating" is pitiful and offensive. In researching the best method for presenting this information, did the Monterey Bay Aquarium contact the following groups, all of which are recognized experts on infant feeding? The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) UNICEF UNESCO WELLSTART BESTSTART La Leche League International International Association of Lactation Consultants The National Alliance For Breastfeeding Advocacy The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine World Alliance For Breastfeeding Action The American Dietetic Association The US Government's Women, Infants and Children's Program (WIC) The American Academy of Pediatrics Any of these organizations would have been able to advise the Monterey Bay Aquarium about the inadvisability of depicting bottle feeding images as though Mead Johnson was a corporate sponsor. Something tells me that there was inadequate research undertaken for this very important and no doubt expensive exhibit. No amount of backpedaling will cover this glaringly obvious mistake. Please reconsider the consequences of this faux pas carefully. MANY people are watching to see the Monterey Bay Aquarium do the right thing now. Sincerely, Susan C. Jacoby, IBCLC International Board Certified Lactation Consultant