Friends:

Good old Ralph Nader has finally got turned on to the travesty of freebies
given out in hospital maternity wards.  He addresses this in a recent column
-- the title is approximately 'consumer from birth'.  It appeared in my
local newspaper.  You can find it on the net at
<www.sfbg.com/nader/68.html>.

He addressed the bags and bags of corporate products and marketing materials
given out at George Washington University Hospital, uncovered by a
researcher on his staff. He also addresses artificial baby milk samples and
their role in undermining breastfeeding:

"Reaching the mother at birth has been a long-time markeing strategy of the
infant-formula industry...a new mother becomes vulnerable to the
interruptive availability of the commercial alternative.  This approach has
worked for years to turn away large numbers of women from breast-feeding and
is considered such a successful sales technique that marketing courses refer
to it in the classroom."

Definitely a must-read for anyone working on (or even considering)
Baby-Friendly status, or just interested in getting the stuff out of their
institutions.  Has great statements that could be used in drafting your own
letters and/or policy statements.

--Doraine Bailey
Lexington, KY, USA


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