Karen and Elaine asked me to post this to Lactnet.  Please feel free to
forward it to Lactivist and any other interested groups or individuals.
Any typographical errors are mine, I received this via snail mail!
--
Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC  NYC  mailto:[log in to unmask]

From:  Karen Goodman, RNC, MA, ACCE
       Coordinator Parent/Family Education

       Elaine Gilboa, RN, IBCLC, FACCE
       Lactation Consultant

       Beth Israel Medical Center
       1st Avenue and 16th Street
       New York, NY  10003

Date:  Feb 26, 1997

Re:    Article, "Formula for Success", New York Daily News (February 18,
1997)

We are writing this letter to disavow any association of ourselves or
Beth Israel Medical Center with an article that appeared in the New York
Daily News on February 18th, entitled "Formula For Success".

Approximately one week prior to the publication of this article we were
interviewed by a reporter for the Daily News for what, we beleived, was
an informative, objective article on breastfeeding.  We provided the
reporter with accurate information on the benefits and positive outcomes
of breastfeeding, as well as the causes and solutions to occasional
breastfeeding difficulties.

We were both shocked and dismayed, therefore, by the content, tone and
nature of this article.  Not only did the reporter ignore the
information we provided, but she misused our words and quoted us out of
context in what was a negative, innacurate, and therefore biased
article.  Rather than draw on the expert knowledge available in the
literature and from organizations such as the International Lactation
Consultant Association she chose to focus her article on her own
subjective opinions and the negative breastfeeding experience of a
handful of selected women.

Unfortunately, our institution's name also appeared in the article.
Beth Israel Medical Center has a long history and reputation for
supporting breastfeeding families.  Our Lactation Center, the first in
New York City, offers breastfeeding counseling and support to both
inpatients and outpatients.  Our services are available to breastfeeding
families throughout the metropolitan area.

Most importantly, we are upset by the potential harm done to mothers and
babies by this article.  We have written a letter to the editors of the
Daily News.  Meanwhile it is important to us that the breastfeeding
community understands that we were misled and do not support the content
or intent of the article.