Even Baby Formula Makers Conclude That Breast is Best

As I was catching up on some of the older articles about the tainted baby formula scandal, I came across something interesting. It seems even the makers of formula agree that breast is best. The following is taken from a Bloomberg.com article on September 23, 2008:

Abbott Laboratories, the maker of Similac infant formula, agrees ``that breastfeeding is the best form of infant nutrition and should be the first choice of babies,'' said Tracey Noe, a spokeswoman for the Abbott Park, Illinois-based company. ``Iron- fortified infant formula is the only safe, nutritional and recommended alternative when breast milk is not an option. Infant formula provides a superior alternative to less-healthy, home-based breast milk substitutes such as raw cow's milk or rice water.''[reference]

Other formula companies typically assert that their product is better than breastmilk -an assertion that contradicts health experts around the world.

Apparently, This is Controversial

Hmmm...

Well, I'm glad that there's some big-time, mainstream coverage of breastfeeding; this time by way of Angelina Jolie pictured nursing one of the twins on the cover of W magazine.

But, several of the articles about these photos are already framing the "story" as yet another stir-causing move by the apparently controversial Jolie-Pitt family.

Associated Press' article, "Jolie apparently breastfeeding on W magazine cover" is a bit sensational...but at least they do attempt to breakdown popular reactions to images of breastfeeding.

All in all, I'm pleased. We need to see a lot more pictures of mothers nursing their babies. People need to see this as a normal, healthy, and loving way to feed our children.

"You Know? That's Nice"

Big Bird said these words to Buffy Sainte-Marie in a 1977 (or so) Sesame Street segment about breastfeeding. In the clip, Sainte-Marie is seen nursing her son, Cody, while Big Bird asks her about it. In what seems impossible for children's television programming today, Sainte-Marie tells Big Bird, "I am feeding the baby. See, he is drinking from my breast."



I recently emailed Buffy Sainte-Marie about this segment to inquire how it was conceived and received.

Buffy first recounted how she came to be a semi-regular cast member on Sesame Street. Originally approached by the show to do a typical celebrity spot, Buffy declined but not before asking whether they had ever done any Native American programming. Sesame Street was instantly intrigued and so began their partnership.

When Buffy became pregnant, however, she assumed that Sesame Street may no longer be willing to have her on the show but, in fact, they were excited to feature a family and a baby. From then on, segments that included Buffy's son, Cody, were commonplace.

The breastfeeding segment idea was initially proposed by Buffy.

I proposed to Sesame Street that we do a segment about breastfeeding. I thought they might think it too controversial, but they were all for it. They were always eager for real input from people who knew stuff first hand. ...They were just tops. [Buffy Sainte-Marie via email, October 7, 2008]

Part of her motivation to propose the idea was her own breastfeeding experience. She recalls waking up in the hospital after giving birth to Cody and saw a big basket of infant formula and other gift items. "My doctor knew a world about formulas, but he'd never studied breast feeding in med school" recalls Buffy.

Since the Sesame Street segment seemed so progressive to me, I was very curious to learn if any backlash occurred once it aired. In further emails with Buffy, she informed me that she received very good feedback..and continues to receive great feedback from parents everywhere.

Reactions to the breastfeeding segment were very mild. Throughout the years I've received lots of nice comments, especially from parents. I didn't receive negative mail and the only weird comment I ever saw was quite recently when somebody online mentioned it in a tilillation sense. Takes all kinds, I guess. [Buffy Sainte-Marie via email, October 8, 2008]

I am struck by my own reactions to the segment. I can not imagine any contemporary children's program that would air a segment on breastfeeding, and I am dismayed that I find Buffy's Sesame Street segment so unbelievable.

Are there enough images of babies nursing these days? Do young children get a normalized view of breastfeeding in books and videos geared towards them? Are children and teens exposed to non-stigmatized, non-sexualized images of breastfeeding? Do they learn this in sex ed?

I searched the classic video section of Sesame Street's current website but did not find the Buffy breastfeeding video among their archives. I have since sent an email to Sesame Workshop - the non-profit educational organization behind Sesame Street - to learn what their current perspective on that segment is and wondered whether they would air something like this again. Should I hear back, I will post a new entry by way of update.

Until then, I'd suggest contacting the producers of children's programming that you and the children in your lives watch with suggestions to include breastfeeding as a normal, healthy, and loving way to feed our children.

Peace!

Breastfeeding Challenge 2008

On October 11, breastfeeding mothers everywhere are encouraged to participate in local breastfeeding challenges to determine which geographic area has the most breastfeeding babies latched on at 11am local time.

This 8th annual event was first conceived by the BC-based Quintessence Foundation - an organization that focuses on breastfeeding education to health professionals and the public. The challenge aims to:

"... celebrate breastfeeding and demonstrate promotion, protection and support for breastfeeding women and their families. It’s a chance for education and peer support done in a fun social way." [quote]

Currently, 317 sites in 18 countries are registered. For more information, or to find a site closest to you, visit the Breastfeeding Challenge invitation page here!

UNICEF/WHO Statement on Tainted Baby Formula

In the face of the tainted baby formula scandal in China, the World Health Organization (WHO)'s and UNICEF's joint statement unequivocally states the benefits and necessity of breastmilk and breastfeeding.

The joint WHO/UNICEF statement reiterates that "Global health authorities agree that breastmilk is unquestionably better for infant feeding than any infant formula." Furthermore, the statement reminds us that, "ideally, all infants should be fed exclusively with breastmilk for the first six months of life."

Organizations such as the WHO and UNICEF tirelessly repeat this mantra with sound research and statistics and yet, the numbers are still not at the recommended levels [reference]. That a disaster of such devastating proportions should be the catalyst for renewed media and popular interest into the reasons for the decline in Chinese mothers choosing to breastfeed is saddening.

UNICEF's Childinfo, whose mandate is to monitor the situation of children and women, states the following with respect to breastfeeding rates in developing countries:

Current breastfeeding patterns, while improving significantly over the past 10 years, are still far from the recommended levels. Only 38 per cent of all infants born in the developing world are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, and less than 60 per cent receive complementary foods when they should. Although global levels of continued breastfeeding are relatively high at one year of age (76 per cent), less than half of infants are still breastfeeding at two years of age (40 per cent). [quote]

An examination of the numbers in China as reported in the International Breastfeeding Journal's 2006, 1:22 issue conclude that breastfeeding rates at one month fell significantly in 2003-2004, when compared to 1994-1996. Furthermore, the national targets for both study periods were not met. [source]

I am in the middle of reading quite a large number of articles and research reports about breastfeeding rates in China and will likely include additional posts on this particular topic. As you can imagine, there is currently a lot of media coverage about the rates of formula use in China and, increasingly, analysis about the reasons for the ongoing drop in infant breastfeeding rates. In the meantime, I felt it was important to share the WHO/UNICEF statement.

Advocacy 101

So, how exactly does one effectively advocate for change?

I work in the non-profit, non-governmental sector where attitudinal change is a significant part of our work. However, many of us run into a familiar and incredibly frustrating predicament of thinking: If only the larger community knew the facts and statistics, they would be shocked and therefore moved to do something about it!

Yeah, it doesn't work that way unless, apparently, you're Oprah. The rest of us just manage to alienate and bore people by quoting research and stats. Doesn't matter if it's about homelessness, economic policies, or breastfeeding.

For example, convincing people about the merits of a safe injection site by quoting the numerous researchers who have proven its harm reduction efficacy is a huge uphill battle. While in Surrey, BC for an economic development conference, former NYC mayor, Rudy Giuliani called Insite, North America's first and only supervised safe injection site a "terrible mistake".

“You should not encourage the use of drugs, that's a terrible mistake,” Mr. Giuliani said. “It's just going to make your drug problem much worse.” [quote] This, of course, is an overly simplified analysis of a safe injection site, but compelling to anyone who does not have a more thorough understanding of just how desperate the levels of addiction and the spread of infectious diseases are in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

If you try to convince someone that breastfeeding and extended breastfeeding is the safest, healthiest choice for a baby by quoting respected, non-partisan organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF or the Centers for Disease Control, you run the risk of being told (as I was) the following head-shaking fallacies. I have to remind you that these are all true arguments that have been made to me against breastfeeding.

Head-Shaker #1:
The WHO promotes breastfeeding simply to avoid having "third world" countries up in arms. That particular argument left me wondering what bargaining chips some of the poorest women in the poorest countries in the world actually had. How exactly would they be up in arms?

Head-Shaker #2:
Breastfeeding proponents are nothing more than propaganda machines, "granola crazies" and "boob-nazis". You know, I always thought those UNICEF people were shady. ;)

Head-Shaker #3:
The rise of anaphylactic allergies in children and the rise in breastfeeding since the '70s are causally linked.

Head-Shaker #4:
Allergies, ADHD, chronic ear infections, and, early breast development in 6-year old girls are all exclusively attributable to breastfeeding.

Wow, eh?

In the face of compelling evidence about breastfeeding from countless reliable sources - whose primary role and areas of expertise are the health of children and preventive societal health, I must add - I simply can not understand how one can still argue that breastmilk is bad for infants. It is truly mind-boggling...not to mention upsetting.

I spend a considerable amount of time carefully (and belligerently) outlining facts and stats that are evidence-based and peer-reviewed only to get crazy in response. So, what's the point?? All I've managed to do is get pissed off and seriously discouraged at the level of misinformation and ignorance out there.

So, any suggestions on effective advocacy...that actually works? ;)

What is the Breastfeeding Chronicles?

Well, well, well....my very first post on my very first blog.

I'll start by telling you what prompted me to jump into the blogging world. It's actually the apparently contentious issue of breastfeeding and the slogan, "Breast is Best" that landed me here. When news of the tainted Chinese baby formula first broke, I included the "Breast is Best" slogan in a Facebook status update and was surprised to soon find myself in an incredibly heated e-argument with a friend of over 20 years. What were we arguing about?

Breastfeeding versus formula feeding.

I was accused of calling formula "poison". I was also accused of being insensitive to women who are unable to breastfeed. And, finally, I was told that formula was actually safer than breastmilk. With unreferenced quotes and stats and "facts" flying about, we shot barbs back and forth. Of course, I thought I was quite eloquent and unemotional in my argument...heh heh. But our discussion quickly devolved and soon became quite a symbolic indicator of the fact that the stigma and misinformation surrounding breastfeeding is still living large. That the conversation devolved so quickly also reminds me just how personal and emotional this topic can be.

Now that I'm a mother - a breastfeeding mother - I seem to have become a rather staunch supporter of breastfeeding and extended breastfeeding. In trying to come to terms with the fact that my relationship with said friend could very well be over, I am committed to (re)learning how to advocate for breastfeeding in a supportive, respectful, and informed manner.

So, here I am!

Welcome to the Breastfeeding Chronicles. I hope you find something that resonates for you!

Peace,
Blakpurl