I just wanted the breastfeeding community to see the latest salvo in the formula companies' efforts to derail the work being done in Massachusetts on eliminating formula company discharge bags. Sponsored by the Infant Formula Council, this new blog at http://www.momsfeedingfreedom.com/ is the latest spin on diverting attention from the side effects of formula marketing. We have a bill in Massachusetts that is designed to preserve formula companies' ability to market formula through the hospital distribution of company discharge bags. The bill is trying to prevent our Department of Public Health from ever changing the language in our perinatal regulations to prohibit this practice. The bill was supposed to be heard in committee in September but was snuck in at a June 13 hearing unbeknownst to those of us who were testifying on 2 other breastfeeding bills. We were able to rebut some of the testimony but were unable to prepare a thorough presentation illustrating the harm of this bill. Our testimony was cut off by one of the chairs of the committee who is also mentioned on this blog.
I take this as a message that perhaps we are starting to make a difference. I urge us all to redouble our efforts at eliminating formula company discharge bags from our hospitals. Check out the Ban the Bags website for more information on eliminating a practice detrimental to exclusive breastfeeding at www.banthebags.org.
Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA
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