I need a really big soapbox. I have just returned from a community project
team meeting we are currentlly planning a Family Fair for parents of new
babies and toddlers.  Our WIC project will participate with nutritional
education and bf promotion.  This will be in the area with a healthy baby
check  by local drs. and public health nurses.  WE will have a combined info
table.  THe public health nurse suggested that we get free materials from
the formula companies.  Everyone thought that was a good idea, except me. I
proposed that we possibly use their materials for devolpment charts and
promotion info on bottlefeeding with formula but not the bf materials.  I
explained that  that I could provide some excellant handouts  on bf.  I
could convince  all but one woman that this made sense and she could not get
it through her head that to accept formula companies info on bf  is like the
tobacco company writing anti smoking or cancer materials.  She saw it as a
fredom of speech and not an endorsement of thier products.  Please remeber
that it was all the companies who have reps in our area and I would accept
the use of thier materials on formula feeding.  I will make sure it is far
away from my bf info.  I could understand the lay people having a difficult
time accepting the concept of no bf info from a formula company ,but 2 of
the people the public health nurse and a Healthy Start supervisor .  What
gives.  With all the talk about WIC lately  ,shouldn't we examine the other
obstacles
from the  other care providers.  It is not the free formula from WIC we
should be worried about.  I feel that a significant increase in bf will
happen when the majority of the society believes and promotes BF.
Isn't time to educate other careproviders and the society as a whole  to
normalize bf in our society.I   believe that the numbers will rise when the
society  no longer has a conflicting culture with the practice of bf.

       Thank you for letting me vent.  As I step off the soapbox I will
leave you with a parting  thought the Healthy Start supervisor  said to me
at one point in the conversation while I quoted WHO policy  on bf promotion
how can you trust them, they think a child has the right to divorce thier
parents.


Any advice or suggestions are welcomed. It is lonley being a bf fanatic in
Sublimity , Or.  I am so grateful for LACTNET

Pat Gorman CLE
BF educator of Marion CO. WIC.