I've been No Mail for some time (and please note new email address,
list colleagues, thanks!) but I am not going to weigh in with any
contribution to the recent thread that came from the UK, as I respect
the listmothers' request that it cease.

I do want to correct any false impression of UK volunteer groups.
Lactnet is an international forum, and I would hate anyone to get the
wrong idea of how we work.

On the whole, we get along very well with healthcare professionals.
All the 4 volunteer groups have representation on government-backed
bodies to do with infant feeding, and sit alongside the professional
organisations. We are all (I think)  in receipt of some government
monies [though we'd love some more ; )] that supports our work in
some way.  There may be occasional individual HCPs who think we are
crazy, or extreme, or fanatical, but I don't often come across them.
Our work aims to be evidence-based, mother-centred, and supportive of
all parents, whatever their feeding decisions. I train bfcs, and this
underpins our whole approach. I don't think any of the volunteer
groups are very different from us in this respect.

I don't know of any campaigning 'feed ins' that have been organised
anywhere, ever, in the UK, though I suppose there must have been some
somewhere - but generally, it's not our style!

In 20 plus years in the field, I have heard of formula being referred
to as 'poison' *once and once only*, even including informal
conversations, and that was a would-be jocular reference to formula
milk promotion,  our own confidential, closed emailing list for NCT
breastfeeding counsellors....and she apologised.

I don't recognise the notion that we 'demonise' formula. I would aim
to keep up our high standards, and indeed, as moderator of that list,
I keep an eye on our language. It may be a closed list, but we can't
assume that other people are not reading it, and not share the
'joke', or indeed, broadcast what we say on it elsewhere.

I think we have had needed the same reminders on Lactnet in the past : (

I am proud to be a supporter of breastfeeding, and proud of the
record of the UK volunteer groups, and of their outlook on feeding
issues.

Heather Welford Neil
NCT breastfeeding counsellor, UK

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