Posted on 08/31/2007 7:42:09 AM PDT by SmithL
Washington - --
In an attempt to raise the nation's historically low rate of breast-feeding, federal health officials commissioned an attention-grabbing advertising campaign a few years ago to convince mothers that their babies faced real health risks if they did not breast-feed. It featured striking photos of insulin syringes and asthma inhalers topped with rubber nipples.
Plans to run these blunt ads infuriated the politically powerful infant-formula industry, which hired a former chairman of the Republican National Committee and a former top regulatory official to lobby the Health and Human Services Department. Not long afterward, department political appointees toned down the campaign.
The ads ran instead with friendlier images of dandelions and cherry-topped ice cream scoops, to dramatize how breast-feeding could help avert respiratory problems and obesity. In a February 2004 letter, the lobbyists told then-agency Secretary Tommy Thompson they were "grateful" for his staff's intervention to stop health officials from "scaring expectant mothers into breast-feeding," and asked for help in scaling back more of the ads.
The formula industry's intervention - which did not block the ads but helped change their content - is being scrutinized by Congress in the wake of last month's testimony by former Surgeon General Richard Carmona that the Bush administration repeatedly allowed political considerations to interfere with his efforts to promote public health.
Rep. Henry Waxman's Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating allegations from former officials that Carmona was blocked from participating in the breast-feeding advocacy effort and that those designing the ad campaign were overruled by superiors at the formula industry's insistence.
"This is a credible allegation of political interference that might have had serious public health consequences," said Waxman, D-Los Angeles
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
That sounds terrible. You were right to kick them out.
For the record, I had the opposite experience: Family members were constantly questioning my decision to breastfeed, arguing with me about it, trying to sneak the baby a bottle, and so on. It was a constant battle. By our second baby, though, they backed off. But then, our third did have trouble gaining weight, and everyone was worried again.
Once, I even was accused of laziness - as if I didn’t want to go through the trouble of preparing a bottle. LOL. People have no idea how difficult and challenging it is - at least for some of us - to nurse a baby. I also was accused of being “too attached.” LOL. I can laugh about it now, years later.
La Leche whackjob cultists browbeating my wife because she had difficulty breastfeeding our first and who started insulting her when she told them that she did not intend to breastfeed our second.
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The La Leche types breastfeed way, way late — 5 year olds and so forth. My wife had to give up breastfeeding because she dried up after an operation when she couldn’t see the baby often enough to keep the milk flowing. Baby was maybe 1 year old. If a woman can’t do it, she can’t do it (that’s what the old wetnurses were for before formula). No shame in it. It does take a little while for the woman to get going though . . . and babies are ok with that, it’s the way they are designed. They barely need any milk at first. Lots of professionals to help with the process as well, nurses that specialize in it and so forth.
From your own source:
Although breast-feeding is still the best nourishment for infants, infant formula is a close enough second that babies not only survive but thrive.
Even articles written to encourage breastfeeding have to admit the fact that kids thrive on formula as well.
About 80 percent of the cells in breast milk are macrophages, cells that kill bacteria, fungi and viruses.
I hear claims from 40% to 80% on this number.
Does anyone really know?
A real fact: breast milk can transmit serious diseases, while sterilized formula doesn't.
But La Leche opposes the pumping and sterilization of breast milk as "not natural."
My wife decided to switch to formula after two bouts of mastitis. She hasn't looked back and she will testify that formula is much easier than nursing.
Ok, I get read you other posts...you were not able to breast feed, unable to except help from experts and now you are anti-breast feeding.
Sorry that you could not experience the joys of breast feeding, it is tragic that some woman are unable or unwilling but that does not mean it is a cult for those of us who did and advocate for the process.
I’m sorry, I read wideawake’s post about 10 times, and not only did he not say that, it wasn’t even inferred. I didn’t nurse either, and while I am all for it for those that can do it, I couldn’t, and the breastfeeding gestapo was horrible to me about it.
When I had my first daughter, I tried, and it was a nightmare experience for all involved, and I was just 20, and the LaLeche League lady was so horrible to me, that even now, almost 18 years later, I still tense up thinking about the situation. And I hate to break it to the La Leche League supporters, but it was directly due to her horrible treatment of me that I never tried to breastfeed my other two children. I was terrified of ever coming across another person like that, and all the people I had met to talk to about breastfeeding were just like her. So I didn’t bother, for fear of having to deal with these people ever again. They aren’t helping anyone with their tactics.
"Get read"? I assume "get reading" means: "inserting my own assumptions into others' posts due to one's inability to comprehend what others write."
I disagree with most of your post EXCEPT that DC needs to stay away from anything to do with boobs............they’re already “full-up” on that score. ;)
From a taxpayer viewpoint I think some education for single moms and welfare moms would save money. They would not need to use as much formula if any at all.
Time to nip this in the bud.
They are trying to milk this story for all its worth.
This is going to make some political nipples, er, ripples.
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