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Subject:
From:
Wendy Blumfield <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:12:21 +0300
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We always say that if women ruled the world there would be no wars.  And yet 
look at how many wonderful organizations get destroyed by power struggles 
and bickering - by the women involved.  What is happening in La Leche and 
other organizations mentioned in these postings seems to be worldwide.
Isn`t it enough that we breastfeeding activists have to fight against 
formula promotion and the ignorance of some of the health-care decision 
makers.  But if we don`t all stand together with one voice (sorry about the 
mixed metaphor) then we don`t have a chance of doing our job.
It happens everywhere.  The Israel Childbirth Education Centre was founded 
30 years ago by a dedicated group of childbirth educators and breastfeeding 
counsellors to improve what was a pitiful neglect of womens rights in the 
birthplace and support postnatally.  It was - and is until today - the only 
non-profit organization in Israel offering support and education for the 
entire childbearing period.
We achieved so much in the first 10-15 years, we got more accepted by the 
health professionals, our voice was heard and when we compare today`s 
conditions we can say with all modesty that we started a revolution.
On the way we trained a network of counsellors and by now we should have 
thousands of these graduates working with us.
But it didn`t work out that way.  Many of them just took their certificates 
and concentrated on their own practices without even retaining any contact 
with the organization.  But some just went off and started their own 
organizations and training courses although not all were qualified tutors or 
had experience in this field.  For the past few years we can`t even get a 
working committee to meet regularly and plan projects.
With no public or private funding, the organization is disintegrating.  We 
have no leadership and I am too tired to come back and try to revive things. 
If all those women who got so much out of the ICEC had stayed and helped to 
expand, fund-raise, further the cause, we would be able to improve the 
conditions even more for the childbearing families today.  There is still a 
long way to go but nobody is prepared to make the effort to achieve changes. 
Ego seems to be more valued than talent.
Wendy Blumfield
NCT Trained Tutor Childbirth Educator/Breastfeeding Counsellor
Israel 

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