---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 14:57:25 -0500 (CDT)
From: A. Eagles <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: advertising and sabotage

Yesterday, I was looking through some literature that was in with the
Lamaze magazine and found a small brochure advertising Parents
magazine.  In this brochure, there are four pictures of babies doing
various things...the first two pictures really incensed me...the first
picture was of a woman with a  baby and they were very close and the
woman was looking into the baby's eyes smiling...the caption read, (I'm
paraphrasing since the brochure is at home and I am at the library)
something like..'Although it is easier to wean a baby from the breast
during the first year of the baby's life, the decision about timing is
up to you.'  That sounds to me like they are saying, we'll tell you
what's easier, but if you want to do it the hard way, go right
ahead...don't say we didn't tell you so!
The second picture is of a man holding a baby and bottlefeeding him or
her.  The caption reads (again paraphrased), 'Even if mom is
breastfeeding, dad can get involved by burping the baby'...first of
all, why are they saying 'Even if mom is breastfeeding...' but showing
a dad bottlefeeding...and then why would you use burping as the way
dad can be involved...yes, it is a way, but most people have a
negative view of burping in this society, so many dads are going to
look at that picture of that sweet baby being fed by dad, and read the
caption and say, "Which would I rather do, as a dad?  Feed the baby or
burp the baby?"  I think I would have highlighted other ways dad could
be involved...
strange, strange, strange...anyway, another example of sabotage...sad!

Ava Carmichael Eagles, MS, ACCE, IBCLC