I think it's really lousy that this show and their printed materials
cintinue to promote bottle feeding as the only normal way to feed a baby.
IF they really wanted to, they could at least avoid the bottle images and
still not show breastfeeding.  My son picked up on the frequency of bottle
use in the SS books and shows fairly early on. "Don't those babies have
moms?" he asked.

Sesame Street Parent's Magazine has also run several articles on
breastfeeding. They're really a mixed bag though they seem to be getting a
bit better as time goes on.  In an article on SIDS, there is mention that
breastfed babies have a lower incidence of SIDS, but in the next paragraph
states that the AAP advises against bedsharing and that there is no firm
evidence that sharing a bed with an infant prevents SIDS. (March 1999 Issue)
In their July/August 1998 issue there is a Breast Feeding Q&A that runs more
like a formula advertisement than helpful hints on breastfeeding.  These two
articles are  written by Romemary Black, who is an editor at the New York
Daily News. She does quote sources that most editors would deem reliable
(like an assosciate professor of pedaitrics), but I think that a few points
are lost in the final editing, too.

The editors of this magazine (and they're not alone) do not seem to check on
the accuracy of much that is printed therein, but rely on the writers to
research and report accurately (HA!).  I know many folks who have sent
letters asking the editors to at least check with "reliable" sources such as
LLLI or ILCA before printing breastfeeding information in their magazine,
but no one has gotten a reply.

Lorri Centineo

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html