Dear Janet,

What you describe is a gag order.  Professionally, you are responsible for
every thing you say, and if you candy coat the fact that formula has risks,
you are liable for that information.  I do not believe that anyone can
require you to mask or bend the truth of what is.  The AAP 1997 statement
backs  you up 100%.  You are not crazy. The system is crazy because the
ideas and belief systems are skewed, ..

Health professionals have NO problem using guilt as a motivator. Check out
the motivators we use with respect to car seats, smoking, drug use during
pregnancy. Guilt is a fine motivator in most professionals' eyes, as long as
it does not backfire and hit our own sensitive buttons ,  sore spots that we
might have around personal breastfeeding issues, ie  what if I  didn't
breastfeed, I tried, couldn't, etc. Those who impede correct information,
even if it does make them squirm, have the guilt...over their own  personal
issues.

This reminds me of the argument where the risks of epidurals are not
mentioned, because if it impedes breastfeeding, so what?  The procedure is
done, the money is collected, and so what if the kid can't breastfeed, or bf
is delayed.?  BF is not that important....in the eyes of the system.  The
fact is that our culture has lost its belief the importance of
breastfeeding, and all the talk in the world, all the breastfeeding
coalition meetings, chatter, etc, will not change this, in my opinion and
experience.

Trusting the system is not what I would recommend. I lost my trust in the
system a LONG time ago.

Paternalism is alive and well. We, as a society, are driven by the God
Almighty Dollar.

My .05.

Kathleen

Date:    Sun, 26 Mar 2000 00:22:05 -0800
From:    Stuart Black <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Ethical Dilemma

Dear fellow Lactnetters:
I am writing a paper for university, the subject being an Ethical Dilemma. Of
course I chose breastfeeding. My question to all of you is this: Do you openly
share the information about the hazards of artificial baby milk with your
clients? Im not saying the benefits of breastfeeding here - the studies showing
the potential hazards. I am not "allowed" to include this in prenatal BFing
classes. I am a contract employee working out of a Public Health Unit as the
Breastfeeding Consultant.

The old "we dont want to make anyone feel quilty" is in my face again. Also,
is it right to subject a woman to the "hazards" when so many things/people
stand in the way of her successfully BFing?

The Moms and Dads were most often not breastfed and "were all doing fine". How
do you debate this? I tell them about longterm health benefits, that we really
are not a very healthy society etc and that it is more than just milk.

Back to the original theme here - I am struggling with my own ethical dilemma
here. Working on my BScN, considering Public health but watching people be
so paternalistic with women and their looking like the "good" Nurse because
they give the message that formula is just as good. Will I be selling out?
Can I trust this system with other areas of Public Health if so much info
given out regarding infant feeding is bogus?

We go to the meetings to explore ways to increase Bfing duration/initiation.
Am I going crazy here or what if we openly informed the public about the
potential hazards here, as we do for immunizations, carseats etc. I just dont
get it.
Janet Black, RN,CBC, BScn student
Mission, BC.

Kathleen B. Bruce, BSN, IBCLC co-owner Lactnet, Indep. Consultant
Williston, Vermont
mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://homepages.together.net/~kbruce/kbblact.html
LACTNET Archives http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/lactnet.html

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