Oh, please, please help me!
I'm scheduled to do a bf talk for 40-50 nurse managers in a city a few
hours away. The organizing nurse and I have talked by phone several times,
but have never met. In the past, I've mailed her ILCA videos to show her
nurses, and I thought we were on the same wave-length. She was to cover my
bus fare, one motel night, handouts, and a tiny honorarium. I've done 6 or
8 very similar talks, *always* under baby-friendly circumstances, always
shoe-string operations, as this appeared to be. It simply never occurred
to me to ask about funding.
I just got a letter from her, enclosing the flyer for my talk and details
about location, projector, etc. It ended with this paragraph:
"You may think it unusual that a formula company is sponsoring this breast
feeding presentation. I feel strongly that rice lyte and other M-J
nutritionals have a real place for infants who may not tolerate any form of
milk. Bob S., our M-J representative, is a delight and a strong supporter
of continuing education for nurses."
The flyer, of course, leaves no doubt as to the sponsor. I nearly had a stroke.
What do I do and how do I do it? I'll foot my own bill entirely now, of
course, including handouts. But my good friend the nurse is also providing
handouts, and I can guess what they'll be. At *my* talk!!!
I could cancel, which would certainly save me money, but would that do more
harm than good at this point? I'm one of 2 speakers for the day.
I could call the nurse and express my dismay, but that might prompt her to
request that I avoid saying certain things. If I don't call her, at least
I'll have free rein.
Free rein to do/say what? How and to what extent can I enlighten without
alienating? Please, please help me!
Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC, LLLL Ithaca, NY
who thought, when she signed her Lactation Consultant's Declaration, that
avoiding the formula companies was simple.
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