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Subject:
From:
Lee Galasso <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:23:27 -0400
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Dear, Dear Colleagues,

I try not to offend any of you when I post.  Sometimes it is hard to realize
how words are received by another, especially if they are not face-to-face
or at least on the phone.  That happens all the time.  I'm sure it has
happened to most of us when we deal with pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Let's try to avoid that with each other, and let's be respectful and civil.
That may take extra effort when we become exasperated when it seems as if
someone just doesn't get it.  We need to keep communicating.  Do not allow
any company to create a rift in our ranks; that only helps the company to
divide and conquer (as Marsha Walker stated).

Now, for myself, I am fed up with Medela and its current antics.  It does
not care what it is doing to undermine breastfeeding, and in turn, to hurt
children.  We do NOT need Medela if it refuses to become CODE compliant; we
can go to another pump company that is ethical in its advertising.  If some
LACTNETTERS cannot possibly do that, they can conduct themselves in a manner
that does not violate the CODE.  They can promote exclusive breastfeeding
whenever possible; NO pumping or bottle feeding unless absolutely necessary.
They can help with pumping and bottle feeding when necessary - and I
emphasize when NECESSARY.

Personally, I have disassociated myself from the company and have encouraged
local healthcare groups (e.g. ILCA affiliates, LLL chapters, lactation
programs at hospitals, etc) and IBCLCs in private practice to do the same.
I encourage ALL of you to consider doing the same.  It WILL make a
difference; although it may not happen immediately.  I have contacted
another pump company to obtain products that I need for the children I work
with.  Also, I have decided to contact local merchants to start carrying the
products of the other pump company (again, I encourage you to do the same).
No, I am not getting paid to do that, except that the women and children in
my area will reap the benefits and that is my compensation.  Hopefully, in
that way, the products and accessories will be readily available for them
when they are NECESSARY.

Bottle feeding is only a big part of our culture because of advertising that
goes back decades.  We can change that just as we changed the attitude about
Artificial Baby Milk (ABM).  We may never be rid of unnecessary use of ABM
in our culture, but we have cut down on its use and its ill-effects; we can
do the same with unnecessary bottle feeding.  The needs of the children do
not change; the attitudes of the adults do.  The children NEED
breastfeeding, not breastmilk in a bottle; breastfeeding is their
birthright.  I wish we had an association to protect them just as we have
associations to protect the rights of animals.  If you need another analogy,
just think of the success of the advertising of cigarettes and how we are
fighting against that; we need to do the same about bottle feeding.
Furthermore, it is time and budget constraints in the hospitals that also
interfere with helping new moms learn how to facilitate newborn
breastfeeding.  All the gadgets that take the place of time and support are
sold by the pump companies because of that.  Why did normal healthy newborns
need pumps, nipple shields, alternative feeding methods, etc?  IMO, it
started, in all parts of our culture, because of a paucity of breastfeeding
education for pregnant and lactating women.  So the pump companies started
"helping" with those problems and now the industry has escalated to big
bucks even if you don't NEED the products.  Let's get pregnant women into
breastfeeding support groups out in their neighborhoods; let's help their
children be able to breastfeed in public so that others can see it every day
and can learn how it works.

Respectfully submitted,

Lee Galasso, MS, LLLL, IBCLC, RLC

Westchester County in NYS, USA

[log in to unmask]

"Children Are Born with the Right to Breastfeed"

 

 

 


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