----- Original Message -----
From: "Magda Sachs" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 9:23 AM
Subject: [LACTNET]
>> Is anyone disturbed by the appeal to the our group for help writing
>> advertising copy?
**Hi Magda,
> Yes, I thought this was a discussion list, not somewhere that
> breastfeeding advocates and supporters do the commercial companies' work
> for them!
**Hahaha, that was definitely NOT my intention! I got the impression that
there were various feelings about the ad, that it appealed to certain
'normalcies' that we have very different opinions about, even though many of
us could not exactly put the finger on it. I saw it as a possibility to add
my two cents to all of us being aware of what is being said. It is not just
commercial companies that write texts, even though they usually are 'good'
at this job. As lc's and the like, we ALL write texts and we ALL should be
aware of the message we bring across and I think we ALL have a
responsibility to 1) consciously know what we want to say and 2) develop and
sharpen the ability to do that in a non-agressive, non-blaming, factual and
bf-supportive manner. Many lc's work for employers. If not for Ameda, they
work for a hospital and that hospital is also a commercial institution in
that it has to make profits in order to remain in 'business'. There's this
saying "You don't bite the hand that feeds you", but is that in line with
protecting, promoting and supporting bf, as the WHO calls us to? A hospital
that says it employs an lc (because that is good for the imago), but on the
other hand doesn't spend the slightest part of its budget to educate its
employess in this field, is not being honest. It will, without a doubt, lead
to disappointing mothers/clients, who have high expectations of the bf
policies.
>> Marianne should be paid for her work, no?
> If she entered into a contract with the company, something I am highly
> dubious about I must say, she could do so, but if she is going to post her
> thoughts for free in a public forum, I think she (or any of us) could
> expect the company to use them without charge. It is a bit like posting
> your battle plan on facebook and being surprised when the enemy wins!
**Oh my... me and being paid for what I do and the knowledge I share... that
would be breaking news! hahaha
I just used this opportunity to explain my point of view and to, once more,
draw the attention to the importance of the way we put things. Like some of
us said: "I thought the ad meant to say..." Well, then THAT IS what the ad
says, intentionally or not! All of us, we are quite often in positions to
improve texts, in line with our knowledge and with the facts and with
evidence based best practice. So, why not make a contribution to that? Some
of you may find I am pretty naive in this respect. Well, maybe I am and
(not: but ;-)) I'm proud of it. I sometimes cultivate being naive; I looked
it up: meaning 2: unexperienced where unsuitable; meaning 1: unspoilt,
without unsincere intentions. I love meaning 1.
Maybe this can reassure you, Magda: I will spend loads of time (beginning
this October probably), translating Nancy's and Kathleen's "Breastfeeding
Made Simple" into Dutch. It would be nice to make some money out of that,
but I doubt it. ;o) Right there, my being naive comes in quite handy. The
world needs idealistic people and I'm willing to sacrifice mysel!! hahaha
Please, take this with a big grin and don't think I run around like a weird
zombie. I'm pretty down to earth, but can afford to not work for a salary
and decided to devote my time and energy and competencies to this important
part of human development: breastfeeding and everything that surrounds it,
including editing in this field. If I can contribute to companies being
breastfeeding/mother-child interaction-compliant... great! Fortunately, my
husband fully supports the fact that I was there to look after the children
when they were little and the fact that I spend my time with supporting bf
moms. He even doesn't mind my spending money on nice conferences... hahaha.
I plan to visit the lcgb conference in Leeds to meet Kathleen. Will you be
there as well, Magda...?
Warmly,
Marianne Vanderveen, Netherlands
> Magda Sachs
> Breastfeeding Supporter, The BfN, UK
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