8-26-97 Richard Ansell Bona Arts Decorative Ltd. High Street Marlborough Wiltshire UK Dear Mr. Ansell: I am writing to protest the way a mother and baby were treated when breastfeeding outside your shop on High Street. This was reported in The Express on August 22. Since breastfeeding is the natural and normal way to feed a baby, I am ASTOUNDED that anyone would be treated in such a way! It is not possible - nor desirable - for a mother and child to spend all of their waking hours at home. Is this what you propose breastfeeding families do? Surely you must know that breastfeeding is one of the most effective and economical ways to promote good health. The World Health Organization, UNICEF, and many other organizations all actively promote breastfeeding as the best method of infant feeding. Why? Because breastfeeding is one of the most important ways to optimize a child's health! Breastfeeding should be encouraged everywhere! Even so, I have worked with thousands of breastfeeding mothers over the past 15 years and one overwhelming concern from almost everyone of them is to be able to breastfeed without exposing anything or offending anyone. This is one of the major reasons why women do not try breastfeeding at all. This mother was being QUITE DISCRETE. My god! She was not a hooker turning a trick! I believe your actions constitute ASSAULT AND BATTERY and I hope you will be fully prosecuted. Sincerely, Laurie Wheeler, Rnc, Mn, Ibclc Louisiana Breastfeeding MediaWatch Coordinator 3408 Acorn Drive Violet LA 70092 USA