Dear Lactnetters:
Some of you may recall a note that I posted a while back about a
publication of the Office of Minority Health (Closing the Gap) that
talked about educating pregnant teens, and while public health nurses
were remembered to have shown bottlefeeding videos, nothing was
mentioned in the publication about teaching teen moms about
breastfeeding.
Well, the newest edition of "Closing the Gap" missed several
opportunities to mention the benefits of breastfeeding.  I called the
editor and found the staff person very receptive; she would like
resource material that would help them to include the benefits,
advantages and necessity of breastfeeding in the population that they
are targeting.
Are there any resources you can recommend? I did mention Lactnet as a
resource, and will be sending her the subscription information.
The two Missed opportunities:  there was a column on the Back to Sleep
campaign. Breastfeeding was omitted in the paragraph describing the
other recommendations (besides putting back on its back or side to
sleep)
The other omission-there was an article about Oral Rehydration Therapy.
Breastfeeding was NOT mentioned as a way of PREVENTING diarrhea in the
first place....The column spoke about the "Child Health Foundation (CHF)
who distributes brochures on ORT on specifics steps to take in English,
Spanish, French and Creole French.  "Established in 1985, the Child
Health Foundation aims to 'save the greatest number of children at the
lowest possible cost'".
For that matter, is the Child Health Foundation involved in promoting
breastfeeding? Is anyone familiar with this organization? Their phone
number is 301-596-4514.

Please help me in providing The Office of Minority Health with resources
that will focus more attention on promoting breastfeeding so that the
'gap" will indeed be closed.
Thanks
Pearl Shifer, IBCLC