Dear Lactnetters,
    I just read this note from Nikki Lee to Dr. Sears and my breathe has
been taken away. I went back to reread a note from Lisa Marasco (from Fri.
Jan 12,12:23 version).  We really need to heed what Lisa has said.  We don't
walk in this mans' shoes, we don't know his motivation in using the formula
company for a 'banner'.  I really feel the subject needs to be explored with
Dr. Sears before we say inflamatory and ugly things to his (or anyone's)
face.  This is not becoming to our profession, nor does it further our
cause.
    As my husband and I live in a 'fishbowl' also, he being a pastor,
everyone can look into our little life and make judgement.  But they don't
walk in our shoes.  I know that we do the best we can with what we have.  If
another had our very same lives, they may may choose to live differently,
make different priorities, or make different choices, but that is the beauty
of the diversity we bring to living in community with each other.  Everyone
is human and errs from time to time, but does that really take away from the
good we do do?  Does it make our whole selves/lives bad?  I DON'T think so.
    Dr. Sears is a well respected pediatrician who supports our work.
Someone who I have read and send my clients and family members to read. He
has forged the way for a voice that we have.  Apparently, has fought for the
rights of babies and mothers to bond and breastfeed on demand, as we were
made to do.
    I am disappointed to hear about the choice Dr. Sears made also. I know
that we all have negative feelings towards the formula companies, but I
would hope we wouldn't call each other names, but have respectable
conversation and disagreements, if necessary.
    I have found the e-mail provides us another means by which it is easy to
write and feel anonomous. It can be like road rage, where you can attack and
get away with it.  It can be very hurtful to the person who receives the
message, and possibly to the person who wrote the note later when a
realization hits that we may have been too caustic. We need to be careful.
The words written should be the same words that we could say to someone's
face. Sometimes I think the anonomous character of e-mail eludes us into
thinking there isn't really a person with a heart at the end of our message.
    Another start to a communication with Dr. Sears could be to ask why he
chose to have the formula company on his site.  You could have a
conversation with him over the e-mail about why he chose what he chose to
do, and maybe even respectfully disagree. I would appreciate it if we
wouldn't call people names or make nasty comparisons towards anyone.  That
doesn't give us in our profession a good name.
    Thank you for listening.
       Betsy Wells-Gephart RN, IBCLC
       Chandler, AZ


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