I've taken Marsha up on her suggestion to peruse the Evenflo website for any
language that violates WHO Code. I must say that I am very impressed! I
have not seen a single mention of bottles or formula, and breastfeeding is
completely the normal and expected means of infant feeding on this site. It is
exactly as it should be... as the reader looks over this site, he/she would
never know that an alternative to breastfeeding exists. Wow.
This is a theme in the entire site, not just the feeding section. If you're
interested, check out:
Parenting Resources: Articles and tips: Learning and development: Month 1
http://www.evenflo.com/Home/ParentingResources/Articles/Month1AwakeningA
wareness/tabid/115/Default.aspx
What I love is that this page is not directly addressing feeding, but it still
throws in 'nursing' in various areas, giving this area attention only as the
normal part of infant care that it is. Breastfeeding is not necessarily
promoted, but in very neutral ways it is just, well, normal! LOVE IT!
I know that this is the first company to do this, and it's just a first step. But
one area that I feel needs immediate change is in doll manufacturers. (which
of course don't fall under WHO code) Take a look at the websites of any doll
maker and you will see that a bottle is a standard accessory. The doll's
mouths are even shaped in a little pucker to accommodate a nipple. Children
learn from play, and their daily play teaches them to feed babies bottles.
When my daughter asked about my breasts one day (her word is 'boosts'), I
took the opportunity to explain that mommies make milk in their breasts to
feed their babies. She immediately said, "Mommies make milk in their boosts,
take it out, put it in a bottle and feed their babies!" What a wake-up. Her
babies no longer have bottles, and I'm proud to say that they are all boost-
fed :)
Julie Conaway, RN, BSN, IBCLC
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