Hi Naomi:

Thanks for your thoughtful reply, reminding us of the need for practicality
in our work.

Now I am wondering why the costs of breastfeeding make the news, but not
the costs of commercial milk formula feeding, with its impacts on infant,
child and adult health as well as being a non-sustainable process?

That research has been done, and published....and doesn't make the news.

sigh.

warmly,

On Sun, May 7, 2023 at 11:05 AM Naomi Bar-Yam <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Nikki,
>  I couldn’t agree with you more. Economics is one lens through which we
> see the world, a very flawed and inadequate one. And capitalism is also one
> model of how the world can be.
>
> However, we live in a capitalist society and policy makers use economic
> models to make policy decisions and direction. We are not in a position to
> dismantle capitalism and economic models on our own.
>
> Our job is to: 1. Assure that the economic models used reflect reality as
> much as they can. This is something economic models do very poorly, so we
> have our work cut out for us; 2. Be persistent in reminding legislators,
> policy makers and others that breastfeeding is, indeed, priceless and why.
> Economic models are a limited tool.
>
> Naomi
>
>
>
> On May 7, 2023, at 12:00 AM, LACTNET automatic digest system <
> [log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>
> Naomi asks for thoughts on this piece. She says, in part, "The J
> Perinatology piece was trying to quantify this for policy makers who need
> numbers in order to set responsible policies."
>
> How is it possible to put a price, a number, a monetary value, on health
> and life? On all the aspects of life, including mental health, physical
> health, environmental health, relationship health and the development of a
> little human being with a better chance of realizing its potential?  How
> could we possibly put a price tag on every short- and long-term benefit
> to mother/lactating parent and baby? (As one example, I am remembering the
> study showing that breastfed babies have a greater chance of upward social
> mobility.)
>
> Breastfeeding is priceless.
>
> Capitalism is a limiting philosophy, where something priceless can be
> deemed to be without value.
>
> These are some of my thoughts.
>
> warmly,
> --
> Nikki Lee, she/her/hers
>
>
>

-- 
Nikki Lee, she/her/hers
RN, BSN, Mother of 2, MS, Grandmother of 1, IBCLC, CCE, CIMI, ANLC, RYT500
*@NikkiLeeHealth*
www.nikkileehealth.com

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