Bravo Magda!  Thank you for sending in such an eloquent piece about why
your organization does not accept any breastfeeding information materials
from companies with an interest in the outcomes of women's feeding
decisions and for reminding us again about why being Code-compliant is *so*
important.  So the latest WHA resolution covers food/equipment for children
up to the age of *three*?  - wonderful!

I'm jumping into this discussion a little late, and my server is playing up
so I may have missed some LACTNETs, but I'd just like to suggest that if
anyone is looking for breastfeeding informational materials to provide as
handouts to mothers, it is not difficult to write your own.  It often
happens that info materials developed by someone else, or a company, don't
exactly meet the needs of your clients anyway.  If you develop your own
pamphlets and leaflets you can include exactly what information you want to
give out, tailor the info to your particular target population in your
particular locale, and omit all the Code-questionable stuff as well.  I use
as handouts for my clients a small series of pamphlets on things like
Working and Breastfeeding, Weaning etc. which I wrote myself and had
printed professionally in different coloured inks for different topics.  I
also developed tear-off care plans for mastitis and sore nipples and, as
occasion demands, I sometimes make up sheets on things like Starting
Solids, Thrush, Sulpiride (commonly used galactogogue).  To be sure, my
main motivation when I started doing this was because I couldn't afford to
import pamphlets developed by overseas people/organizations, but now, even
if I could, I would no longer want them because 'foreign' materials don't
quite fit local conditions (too many references to pumps and other 'stuff'
which is unobtainable locally).

Anyway, this is to encourage less reliance on company handouts which - as
Magda explains, violate the Code and subsequent WHA resolutions by
providing endorsement by association - and more on self-help - write your own!

And Magda, your post pricks me to go and tackle my local supermarket
manager again to *insist* that they take those little Gerber jars of
weaning foods (clearly marked "from *5* months - a contravention of our
Code) off the shelves.  I keep complaining, and they keep coming back, and
lately I've been just shrugging and leaving it!

Pamela Morrison, IBCLC in private practice,
Harare, Zimbabwe
[log in to unmask]

Magda wrote, "I would just like to say that the organisation I work for
(voluntary
breastfeeding support organsiation here in the UK) would not accept any
breastfeeding information materials from companies with an interest in the
outcomes of women's feeding decisions. We do not have a pump hire agreement
with either of the electric pump companies in the UK (a policy in line with
WABA policy), we would not use their materials. [Of course we give national
numbers of the companies to women asking for this information.] We do not
distribute any materials from any company hoping to make money out of the
women we are in contact with, so would not give out leafelts on
breastfeeding with a lansinoh logo, particular milk storage system, etc.
etc.
We also aim to follow not only the Code but all subsequent relevant WHA
resolutions. Since the advent of the recent resolution enshrining the
Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, this means we would not
use a leaflet which has company logo or information from companies which
sell any foods, drinks or feeding utensils made for babies or for children
up to the age of three. The Strategy is not only about breastfeeding/infant
feeding but includes actions to protect children during the process of the
introduction of complementary feeding.
"Using materials which are free, but give the mother a logo via the
breastfeeding support person create an impression of 'endorsement by
association'. They also indebt the breastfeeding support person to the
companies by supplying materials which would otherwise be paid for. This is
the same tactic used in the early nineties by baby milk companies with free
donations of their milks to hospitals.

Magda Sachs
Breastfeeding Supporter, BfN, UK"

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html