Janice,

I have to disagree with alot of what you are proposing for various reasons.
For instance you write, "Because if we are "breastfeeding experts" commenting
on formula is outside our area of knowledge.  After all, this situation is of
little importance to breastfeeders."

The infant formula industry speaks outside their area of knowledge on a
regular basis.    We have alot of literature, videos from this industry on
breastfeeding.  Should we let them define and educate the public about
breastfeeding and  stay silent about infant formula?

The situation of infant formula is very important, in fact I would argue
crucial to changing public perception that breastfeeding is just a personal
lifestyle choice.  Most breastfeeding mothers are using infant formula, very
few women in the USA exclusively breastfeed their infants.  The safety of
this substance should be of importance to all of us who work with infants be
they breastfed or formula fed.

If you keep talking about benefits of breastfeeding so as not to offend
anyone, you won't offend anyone but then no one realize the risks of infant
formula either.  Muting the message does not give parents enough information
to make a rational decision about infant feeding.  I think there are a number
of credible experts on this list in regard to infant formula--starting with
Marsha Walker.

I worked in the WIC Program for 4 years and I meet alot of women who were not
interested in breastfeeding and didn't want to hear about it. Gradually over
time I saw a change and mostly it was because the whole staff from the clerks
to the nutritionists, to the nurses and docs all spoke that word,
"Breastfeeding."  The clients heard it over and over again and they began to
believe in it.  It didn't seem strange because everyone talked about it and
there were pictures everywhere of breastfed babies.  Our Peer Counselors sat
in the lobby feeding their babies and talking about how much they enjoyed
breastfeeding.   I  often talked about the risks of infant formula to mothers
and dads.  It was always when I spoke about the risks of infant formula that
I felt like I was making an impact.

I think the infant formula industry must be clapping their hands and dancing
in the streets when breastfeeding advocates say lets not offend anyone by
talking about the risks of infant formula.  I wonder if the anti-tobacco
advocates said to themselves let's not offend anyone by talking about the
risks of tobacco.

I would never tell parents that breastfeeding provides happiness.  I think
that is wishful thinking.  Breastfeeding provides health and its a good start
to learning how to parent.  Some breastfeeding mothers get depressed and have
to cope with enormous difficulties  Some us may feel happier breastfeeding
but some of us don't.

The problem as I see it with the media is that the reason you see all these
horrible articles in regard to breastfeeding is that the infant formula and
drug industries have a major stake/funding in the various media outlets.
These industries have enormous resources to make sure that the public and
major institutions are either kept ignorant of issues or given a whitewash of
those issues.

Fighting fire with fire might seem like the logical answer to this problem.
But frankly I don't think we have enough time or money to combat their level
of misinformation.  Our time and money would be better spent in educating our
local communities on the risks of infant formula.   Who benefits when a
community of advocates falls silent out of fear of offending, out of desire
to being acceptable?
Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC






             ***********************************************

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(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html