Because I write for parenting magazines, I often read the Internet
newsgroups about parenting, to see what topics are of concern to parents.
The editors of some of the magazines also sometimes share letters to the
editor with me.

Over and over I read the same things - someone will write something about
the benefits of breastfeeding or the risks of formula, and women will write
back saying "I don't believe that. If it was true, my doctor would have told
me." People would cite research on breastfeeding and ear infections, for
example, and the bottlefeeding mothers would reply: "If formula really
increases the risk of ear infections, why didn't my doctor say anything when
my son had his fifth ear infection before he was a year old? I asked the
doctor why he had so many ear infections, and he said it was the way his ear
canal was shaped."

Or someone would write about formula increasing the risk of allergies, and a
mother would write back "Then why did the hospital suggest I give my baby
formula to make her sleep longer at night? They knew I was concerned about
allergies in my family. They never would have recommended it if that was
true."

It is very clear to me from those posts that women place a high value on the
information they get from their health care providers - especially doctors
and nurses. If they don't hear the message from these professionals that
formula has risks and that breastfeeding is better, they are skeptical when
they hear or read it elsewhere.

So if you are part of the health care profession, I think the only ethical
thing you can do is be honest with the people you are in contact with,
because the information you share has so much impact. And people read as
much into what you don't say as what you do say.

Teresa Pitman
Guelph, Ontario

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