Melissa has asked about the letter to the House of Representatives that  
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney is circulating. Yes, we should be asking our own  
Congressional Representative to sign onto this letter that will be sent to the  
Secretary of Health. You may wish to e-mail your Member of Congress the  
letter itself explaining the importance of the WHA resolution and the ploy by  
formula proponents to negate the importance of breastfeeding. This letter is not  
being circulated in the Senate so letters are not needed to your senator.
 
However, the breastfeeding amendments that have been filed by Senator Tom  
Harkin are important to alert your Senators to. All of this political activity  
helps educate Congress about breastfeeding as we try to remove some of the  
barriers to breastfeeding that exist at these levels. The buzz is also  
important because as we approach summer, the formula companies usually have some  dire 
warning about breast milk to deliver to the public to counteract World  
Breastfeeding Week activities. As the Ross data shows, breastfeeding rates in  the 
US dropped from 70% for any amount of breastfeeding to 66%, with exclusive  
breastfeeding rates down to 45%. Their marketing is working quite well as they  
peddle fatty acids and fat babies!
 
Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA

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