Dear Penney,
I am not surprised at your story at all; it has been my long and unfortunate
experience that they do "dig for dirt", as can be seen in a newsletter
published a year ago by Growing Families International on "The Happiness
Doctrine" of LLL. It took the worse stories possible and portrayed them as
typical LLL philosphy! While we may discuss prep's horror stories, we do NOT
go around saying that this happens to all their babies!

>>Since attending the meeting she has publicly misrepresented the case of a
woman who had attended last month's meeting, using it to claim that "The only
case of failure-to-thrive I've seen is in a totally breastfed baby."<<

What an ignorant remark! Was she trying to support supplementation as a
"fail-safe" mechanism? Sounds like she missed the point that breastfeeding
usually works *unless* something has been done wrong!  Someone should tell
her about Peter Hartmann's research and the premise that some women
physiologically need to nurse more often! And then she should be given a copy
of the Christianity Today article that explored the health controversy of
PREP and some FTT babies (Aug. '93, "The Brave New Baby").

>>She has also been telling her students that LLL advises all women to put
babies crying for any reason to the breast (she gets this not from _The
Womanly Art_ or the reprint _Why Babies Cry_, but from some obscure British
book written by a couple supposedly on LLLI's medical advisor board--said
book is unknown to me
and is not sold by LLL).<<

I brought this to the attention of Focus on the Family (Dobson) two years ago
after the Christianty Today article came out .  I still have this letter on
file and will quote what I wrote then and discovered about the above:

"This footnote [in Prep] cites BREAST IS BEST, written by Drs. Penny and
Andrew Stanway, who were members of La Leche League's medical advisory board.
It is important firstly to note that the authros were not writing for La
Leche League, the book was not published by LLL, and in fact it is not found
in the listing for approved LLL group library books. Nevertheless, the Ezzos
cite it for quoting LLL philosphy. More importantly, the quote is pulled out
of the context, which I am repeating here for clarification:

'Our experience tells us that more misleading advice has been given about
this [feeding] than about anything else to do with breastfeeding. Your baby
is unlike any other baby; he's an individual and not just a stomach to be
filled every three or four hours by the clock. His only way of telling you he
is hungry is by fidgeting or crying. Some mothers swear they can distinguish
their baby's cries for food, diapers and so on. We think that this is
unlikely in the first few weeks, when all cries sound pretty much the same to
the new mother. The only way to decide whether he is cryng because he is
hungry is to offer him the breast. Since young babies prefer to have
frequent, small feedings, he'll almost certainly drink. *This is what is
known as feeding on demand---any cry should be interpreted as a request for
food.* Occasionally a crying baby isn't interested in nursing. When he's
content, change his diaper if necessary.'

The context of this paragraph explains clearly that in the early days of
life, babies signal hunger by fidgeting and/or crying. Furthermore, since it
is difficult for parents to distinguish cries, the best response when the
obvious is ruled out is to offer the breast. While Gary would like to hang
LLL on that one quote, Tom Gile's (CT article author) expansion of the
definition is truly accurate and reflective of both League and non-league
"demand" feeders.

Gary is correct in saying that some babies do not signal readiness often
enough; we often say that they are "content to starve". Any good
breastfeeding book addresses that possibility as well, and warns mothers that
most babies need to eat approximately every 2-3 hrs, if not sooner. Complete
information is then given on how to assess the adequacy of baby's intake,
something that I can professionally say that PREP is incomplete in."

And here is Focus on the Family's reply to me on this point:
"We deeply appreciate your expert and articulate input. Of particular
interest was the information you provided about the manner in which the Ezzos
have removed the Stanway's statement on "feeding on demand" from its context
in such a way as to do great violence to its original significance. It does
indeed assume a very different aspect when read as it was intended to be
read."

Penny, you should copy all the above and send THAT to your Ezzo rep; she
needs to know that she has been relying on and propagating lies!

>>More perniciously, she is telling women not to go to LLL for any help
because they will be bombarded with and forced to accept LLL philosophy.<<

That came from Gary Ezzo also!  I am dismayed at how parents take his every
word as TRUTH.

>>Luckily for us, the local CPC board has been evaluating the Ezzo
breastfeeding curriculum on medical grounds--it may be dropped or
altered--and perhaps this woman's bad-mouthing will be kept within the walls
of her church.<<

As a side note, we are aware that PREP and Growing Kid's Gods Way has crept
into many Crisis Pregnancy Centers and has influenced their referrals and
advice.

>>Feeling betrayed and angry- Penny Piercy, LLLL, MOM from Bloomington, IN
<[log in to unmask]><<

I don't blame you! I'm angry about all this stuff myself!

BIG SIGH- Lisa Marasco, IBCLC   [log in to unmask]