In a message dated 1/22/1 8:29:59 PM, [log in to unmask] writes:
<< I guess I'm old and jaded, and not so willing to throw the babies out with
the artificial formula. My years working at WIC taught me that it's often
better to deal with the reality that's staring you in the face right here,
right now, this mother & this baby, than to cling to ideal-world scenarios.>>
I think there is not an either/or way of approaching this. I do not believe
in an "ideal" world, either. But I also do not believe it is idealized to say
that all babies deserve breastmilk. As someone whose volunteer work with WIC
led me to write a grant which ultimately meant running a 4-year long peer
counseling program in an inner city hospital clinic, I do not live in an
idealized world. Far from it. I live in a world where I have seen the
rampages of poor and dangerous living conditions, poor access to any health
care and none to preventative care, limited education and on and on. I have
seen addicted babies, babies whose mothers have HIV, lots of babies w/o
fathers, babies w/ abusive fathers, babies w/ abusive mothers. I didn't see a
single situation where breastmilk wouldn't have improved the chances for a
baby to have a healthy, whole life.
<<I follow your argument, and suspect that in terms of pure "shoulds", you
are right. And I value those of you who are able to maintain that position -
you have my respect and my support.>>
This is not about "shoulds", IMO. I get very upset when people talk about
how poor babies, sick babies, etc need bf the most. No baby needs bf the
most, or the least. All babies are human infants who simply deserve the very
minimal foundation for being human. Everything else after that might be up
for grabs, but not breastfeeding, IMO.
But I'm gonna stick to Rule #1: Feed the Baby, and in doing so I guess I
sometimes have to compromise what I "believe". >>
Rule #1 does not compromise what I believe. I will work with what I have in
the moment, but I will work even harder to have something better in the next
moment. So, while we feed the babies, we can also refuse to give the industry
any quarter. We can refuse to speak any less than the truth, no matter who
feels guilty, angry or defensive. The truth is the oils in that stuff are
toxic, the proteins are dangerous allergens, the combination of minerals, etc
is an experiment at best and don't even get me going on the GE issue. There
really is nowhere to go with this. It is a failed experiement and it can't be
saved.
Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA (who is glad Bill Sears is no longer trying to
save it either)
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