(Letter to the editor)
THE PIECE by Joanna Weiss (''Lactation nation: A few things I wish the breast-feeding advocates had told me," Ideas, Feb. 19) was interestingly timed, as debate rages over whether Massachusetts should reverse the Public Health Department's restriction on manufacturers' so-called gift bags of infant formula, which are given out to new mothers at hospitals (''Romney to undo ban on formula," City & Region, Feb. 18).
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Monday, February 27, 2006
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Public breast-feeding is toplessness next? (The Sun News)
(A letter to the editor)
I strongly disagree with the S.C. House of Representatives approving a bill allowing women to breast-feed their infants in public places. This is not only disgusting, it is also a wedge into our society allowing such lewdness, only one step away from the final goal of allowing topless bathing on our beaches, like uncivilized countries now do. Anybody can see this creeping toplessness is their final goal.
Mothers have been bottle-feeding their infants for over a century. For the S.C. House to fall for this creeping toplessness is absurd.
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I strongly disagree with the S.C. House of Representatives approving a bill allowing women to breast-feed their infants in public places. This is not only disgusting, it is also a wedge into our society allowing such lewdness, only one step away from the final goal of allowing topless bathing on our beaches, like uncivilized countries now do. Anybody can see this creeping toplessness is their final goal.
Mothers have been bottle-feeding their infants for over a century. For the S.C. House to fall for this creeping toplessness is absurd.
click to read more...
Power of moms moves through halls of Legislature (The Post and Courier)
Their rallying cry for breast-feeding rights: It's all about the babies
Among regular citizens who dig in their heels to lobby the state Legislature, members of the South Carolina Breastfeeding Action Committee are a different breed. They don't have a beef about property taxes, they're not especially concerned about where the Confederate flag flies and although they like open spaces where their kids can run and play, they're not there to fight for environmental conservation.
This is just about the babies.
It started with just one baby, a hungry, howling 2-month-old girl. In a lingerie store. And a mom who got mad when the store refused to allow her use of a dressing room to nurse the baby.
Then, there were dozens of other moms, feeding their babies in protest under the store's pink and white awnings. A movement was born, a bill was authored, suggesting that women have a right to breast-feed in public whenever they need to, and now, it's partway to becoming a law in the Palmetto State.
click to read more...
Among regular citizens who dig in their heels to lobby the state Legislature, members of the South Carolina Breastfeeding Action Committee are a different breed. They don't have a beef about property taxes, they're not especially concerned about where the Confederate flag flies and although they like open spaces where their kids can run and play, they're not there to fight for environmental conservation.
This is just about the babies.
It started with just one baby, a hungry, howling 2-month-old girl. In a lingerie store. And a mom who got mad when the store refused to allow her use of a dressing room to nurse the baby.
Then, there were dozens of other moms, feeding their babies in protest under the store's pink and white awnings. A movement was born, a bill was authored, suggesting that women have a right to breast-feed in public whenever they need to, and now, it's partway to becoming a law in the Palmetto State.
click to read more...
Friday, February 24, 2006
Hathor- The Evolution Revolution
Oh, I think I will be getting this one as a print, thank you very much... I could laugh if I weren't so sad about it.
click to view
click to view
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Does Free Baby Formula Discourage Breast-feeding? (ABC News)
A Government Study Suggests That a Federal Program Designed to Aid Low-Income Mothers May Inadvertently Discourage Them From Breast-Feeding
Feb. 23, 2006 — While it has been a common practice since the beginning of time, breast-feeding has also been a source of constant debate and discussion. The latest controversy is no exception.
A new study by the Government Accountability Office suggests that a federal program designed to aid low-income mothers may inadvertently discourage them from breast-feeding because it provides them with free infant formula in hospitals.
While the U.S. government encourages mothers to breast-feed their infants, the study reports that low-income mothers who participate in the federal Women, Infants and Children health and nutrition program have significantly lower breast-feeding rates than the rest of the population.
click to read more....
Feb. 23, 2006 — While it has been a common practice since the beginning of time, breast-feeding has also been a source of constant debate and discussion. The latest controversy is no exception.
A new study by the Government Accountability Office suggests that a federal program designed to aid low-income mothers may inadvertently discourage them from breast-feeding because it provides them with free infant formula in hospitals.
While the U.S. government encourages mothers to breast-feed their infants, the study reports that low-income mothers who participate in the federal Women, Infants and Children health and nutrition program have significantly lower breast-feeding rates than the rest of the population.
click to read more....
Formula is a poor substitute for breast-feeding (The Patriot Ledger)
READER'S VIEW: Formula is a poor substitute for breast-feeding
In regards to hospitals stopping the practice of giving infant formula to new mothers, the risks of feeding babies with anything other than the milk nature designed for them are real.
Pick up a can of formula and read the ingredients to see that it is quite inferior to breast milk. It is mainly made up of sugar and oils and a protein, such as cow’s milk, soy or whey. It does not contain antibodies, digestive enzymes or immunoglobulin.
Babies that are fed formula are 14 times more likely to be hospitalized in their first year. These babies are more prone to respiratory illnesses, ear infections and diarrhea, according to the book, ‘‘Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers,’’ by Jack Newman, M.D.
click to read more...
In regards to hospitals stopping the practice of giving infant formula to new mothers, the risks of feeding babies with anything other than the milk nature designed for them are real.
Pick up a can of formula and read the ingredients to see that it is quite inferior to breast milk. It is mainly made up of sugar and oils and a protein, such as cow’s milk, soy or whey. It does not contain antibodies, digestive enzymes or immunoglobulin.
Babies that are fed formula are 14 times more likely to be hospitalized in their first year. These babies are more prone to respiratory illnesses, ear infections and diarrhea, according to the book, ‘‘Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers,’’ by Jack Newman, M.D.
click to read more...
School group wary of breast-feeding bill (Lexington Herald-Leader)
FRANKFORT - The Kentucky School Boards Association is concerned about a bill the Senate approved yesterday that would permit a mother to breast-feed her baby in any location, public or private.
"We're concerned about the possibility of nursing mothers in classes with other students," said Brad Hughes, spokesman for the association. "We don't want to kill the bill but we don't want a school to be in a sexual harassment lawsuit for not letting a mother nurse her child in a classroom with other students."
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"We're concerned about the possibility of nursing mothers in classes with other students," said Brad Hughes, spokesman for the association. "We don't want to kill the bill but we don't want a school to be in a sexual harassment lawsuit for not letting a mother nurse her child in a classroom with other students."
click to read more....
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Hospital gift bag ban put on hold - The Boston Globe
The panel that sets public health policy in Massachusetts today put on hold a ban against the distribution of gift bags containing infant formula that are routinely distributed to new mothers in hospital maternity wards.
Governor Mitt Romney, who said he believes mothers should have a choice over how to feed their infants, had asked the Public Health Council to repeal the prohibition, which was set to go into effect in July. The panel voted unanimously to suspend its December approval of the ban while directing public health authorities to further review the proposal and report back in three months.
The board's action assures that the controversy over the gift-bag ban will remain alive at least until May, with proponents of breast-feeding and formula makers preparing for further battle.
Advocates of the prohibition maintain that formula giveaways discourage mothers from breast-feeding. Medical studies have shown that breast-fed children are less likely to suffer respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments, and that women who nurse have lower rates of breast and ovarian cancer.
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Governor Mitt Romney, who said he believes mothers should have a choice over how to feed their infants, had asked the Public Health Council to repeal the prohibition, which was set to go into effect in July. The panel voted unanimously to suspend its December approval of the ban while directing public health authorities to further review the proposal and report back in three months.
The board's action assures that the controversy over the gift-bag ban will remain alive at least until May, with proponents of breast-feeding and formula makers preparing for further battle.
Advocates of the prohibition maintain that formula giveaways discourage mothers from breast-feeding. Medical studies have shown that breast-fed children are less likely to suffer respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments, and that women who nurse have lower rates of breast and ovarian cancer.
click to read more...
Romney rebuffed on hospital gift bags - The Boston Globe
Governor Mitt Romney was rebuffed today in his effort to assure that new mothers in Massachusetts can continue receiving traditional parting gifts when they leave the maternity ward: a bag filled with infant formula, coupons, and other goodies paid for by the formula companies.
The rejection came from a panel appointed by the governor that establishes policy for the state Department of Public Health. That board, the Public Health Council, in December had embraced a prohibition on formula marketing in maternity wards, including the distribution of gift bags that contain breast-milk substitute. The ban was scheduled to take effect in July, though some hospitals already refuse to hand out formula to new mothers unless women or their doctors request it.
The Romney administration asked the board to reverse its stance. Instead, the Public Health Council ordered the department to review the formula ban and report back in three months. Advocates of the prohibition maintain that formula giveaways discourage mothers from breast-feeding.
click to read more...
The rejection came from a panel appointed by the governor that establishes policy for the state Department of Public Health. That board, the Public Health Council, in December had embraced a prohibition on formula marketing in maternity wards, including the distribution of gift bags that contain breast-milk substitute. The ban was scheduled to take effect in July, though some hospitals already refuse to hand out formula to new mothers unless women or their doctors request it.
The Romney administration asked the board to reverse its stance. Instead, the Public Health Council ordered the department to review the formula ban and report back in three months. Advocates of the prohibition maintain that formula giveaways discourage mothers from breast-feeding.
click to read more...
Sunday, February 19, 2006
ROMNEY CAVES IN TO INDUSTRY PRESSURE: PUTS PROFITS ABOVE PUBLIC HEALTH
Governor Romney’s office has caved into pressure from the formula industry around the formula diaper bag ban in Massachusetts in hospitals.
"The only constituency served by the Governor’s request is the formula industry," says Dr. Melissa Bartick, a Cambridge internist and chair of the Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition. The new regulations, passed in December by the Public Health Council, banned formula company gift bags on postpartum units.
Multiple scientific studies have shown that formula company gift bags cause mothers to quit breastfeeding earlier, and even a recent report by the Government Accounting Office notes this connection, and clearly defines the bags as a marketing tool—and the companies themselves admitted to it. When mothers stop nursing, they face higher rates of diseases like breast cancer and ovarian cancer, and their babies have more ear infections, diarrhea, and severe bloodstream infections, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Formula company handouts undermine breastfeeding, and that hurts mothers and babies.
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"The only constituency served by the Governor’s request is the formula industry," says Dr. Melissa Bartick, a Cambridge internist and chair of the Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition. The new regulations, passed in December by the Public Health Council, banned formula company gift bags on postpartum units.
Multiple scientific studies have shown that formula company gift bags cause mothers to quit breastfeeding earlier, and even a recent report by the Government Accounting Office notes this connection, and clearly defines the bags as a marketing tool—and the companies themselves admitted to it. When mothers stop nursing, they face higher rates of diseases like breast cancer and ovarian cancer, and their babies have more ear infections, diarrhea, and severe bloodstream infections, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Formula company handouts undermine breastfeeding, and that hurts mothers and babies.
click to read more...
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Massachusetts drops ban on hospital gift bags for new mothers - Boston.com
BOSTON --Hospitals can continue to distribute gift diaper bags with brand name baby formula and other goodies to new mothers after state health officials said Friday they have dropped what was believed to have been a first-in-the-nation ban on the practice.
The ban, which had yet to take effect, had been championed by advocates as a way to promote breast-feeding, but it received mixed reviews from some new mothers who said they -- and not the state -- should decide how best to nurse their children.
Although it never barred hospitals from giving out free formula, the ban would have ended a longtime marketing practice by formula companies that breast-feeding advocates said tried to lure new moms to a less healthy choice, with an implied hospital endorsement.
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The ban, which had yet to take effect, had been championed by advocates as a way to promote breast-feeding, but it received mixed reviews from some new mothers who said they -- and not the state -- should decide how best to nurse their children.
Although it never barred hospitals from giving out free formula, the ban would have ended a longtime marketing practice by formula companies that breast-feeding advocates said tried to lure new moms to a less healthy choice, with an implied hospital endorsement.
click to read more...
Friday, February 17, 2006
IMPORTANT: Please help spread the word!!! Romney attempting to block formula ban!
A news flash from the Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUBJECT: Governor Threatens Formula Marketing Ban
The governor's office is petitioning the Public Health Council to
strike the section banning direct marketing of formula. There will be
a special public meeting of the Public Health Council on Tuesday at
9:30am in Downtown Boston.
It is important that health care providers and mothers attend!
Location: Daley Room, 5th floor, 2 Boylston Street, Div of Healthcare
Finance and Policy, corner of Washington Street and Boylston.
The AP is already aware. The opposing side is stating that it
interferes with women's choice. We need to stay on message that this
policy is about preventing adverse health outcomes, and is backed by
scientific evidence.
There is a great summary of effects of formula marketing in the
recent GAO report on formula marketing and WIC, at
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06282.pdf
More updates later. Meanwhile, let's mobilize!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Please help spread the word on this!!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUBJECT: Governor Threatens Formula Marketing Ban
The governor's office is petitioning the Public Health Council to
strike the section banning direct marketing of formula. There will be
a special public meeting of the Public Health Council on Tuesday at
9:30am in Downtown Boston.
It is important that health care providers and mothers attend!
Location: Daley Room, 5th floor, 2 Boylston Street, Div of Healthcare
Finance and Policy, corner of Washington Street and Boylston.
The AP is already aware. The opposing side is stating that it
interferes with women's choice. We need to stay on message that this
policy is about preventing adverse health outcomes, and is backed by
scientific evidence.
There is a great summary of effects of formula marketing in the
recent GAO report on formula marketing and WIC, at
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06282.pdf
More updates later. Meanwhile, let's mobilize!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Please help spread the word on this!!!
Friday, February 10, 2006
WIC Mothers Breast-Feed Less (ABC News)
WASHINGTON Feb 8, 2006 (AP)— Breast-feeding is less common among mothers who get federal help from the Women, Infants and Children program, known as WIC, congressional investigators said Wednesday.
The Government Accountability Office didn't criticize WIC, which distributes free formula but also heavily promotes breast-feeding. Even outside the WIC program, breast-feeding in the United States fell short of federal goals, the report said.
Instead, investigators said limits are needed on advertising by infant formula companies. Companies have used the WIC name and logo to market formula despite federal restrictions on their use, according to the report.
click to read more...
The Government Accountability Office didn't criticize WIC, which distributes free formula but also heavily promotes breast-feeding. Even outside the WIC program, breast-feeding in the United States fell short of federal goals, the report said.
Instead, investigators said limits are needed on advertising by infant formula companies. Companies have used the WIC name and logo to market formula despite federal restrictions on their use, according to the report.
click to read more...
Six is Better Than Four for Breastfeeding (Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs)
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Mothers who breastfeed their newborns for six months may be helping them avoid respiratory illnesses, report researchers who analyzed data on nearly 2,300 children aged 6 months to 2 years.
Compared to infants of mothers who breastfed for only four months, these babies were about four-times less likely to develop pneumonia and about half as likely to come down with repeated inner ear infections.
"This finding adds to the mounting evidence that the longer a mother breastfeeds her infant, the greater the health benefits," says study author Caroline Chantry, M.D., from the University of California, Davis Children's Hospital. She calls for greater support of breastfeeding in the community, including in the workplace, noting many women stop breastfeeding after they return to work.
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Compared to infants of mothers who breastfed for only four months, these babies were about four-times less likely to develop pneumonia and about half as likely to come down with repeated inner ear infections.
"This finding adds to the mounting evidence that the longer a mother breastfeeds her infant, the greater the health benefits," says study author Caroline Chantry, M.D., from the University of California, Davis Children's Hospital. She calls for greater support of breastfeeding in the community, including in the workplace, noting many women stop breastfeeding after they return to work.
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Y to drop breast-feeding (Ann Arbor News)
The head of the Ann Arbor YMCA says the Y will drop its prohibition against mothers breast-feeding in the swimming pool area if the City Council, as expected, adopts new ordinances aimed at protecting mothers' nursing rights.
Cathi Duchon said the Y's stance was always about safety.
"My No. 1 job in this Y is to keep it safe,'' Duchon said. "That is all we are trying to do, is to keep children from drowning.''
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Cathi Duchon said the Y's stance was always about safety.
"My No. 1 job in this Y is to keep it safe,'' Duchon said. "That is all we are trying to do, is to keep children from drowning.''
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Bill would protect breast-feeding (Lexington Herald-Leader)
FRANKFORT - Melissa Kroener was in a grocery last June when her 3-month-old son, Luke, got fussy and hungry.
Kroener, a law student, thought it too hot to breast-feed her child in the car and considered the store's bathroom "too gross." An employee offered her a seat at the front of the store.
All went well until a customer noticed and accused Kroener of public indecency. Another employee told her to move.
"I had been as discreet as could be but I got humiliated and frustrated," Kroener said. "There ought to be a law."
Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, agrees. His bill before the legislature would permit a mother to breast-feed her baby in any location, public or private.
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Senate Bill 106 yesterday with no opposition, and placed it on the Senate's "consent calendar." That's a parliamentary move in the Senate to vote for bills collectively. It usually assures easy passage.
click to read more...
Kroener, a law student, thought it too hot to breast-feed her child in the car and considered the store's bathroom "too gross." An employee offered her a seat at the front of the store.
All went well until a customer noticed and accused Kroener of public indecency. Another employee told her to move.
"I had been as discreet as could be but I got humiliated and frustrated," Kroener said. "There ought to be a law."
Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, agrees. His bill before the legislature would permit a mother to breast-feed her baby in any location, public or private.
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Senate Bill 106 yesterday with no opposition, and placed it on the Senate's "consent calendar." That's a parliamentary move in the Senate to vote for bills collectively. It usually assures easy passage.
click to read more...
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
from the US Goernment Accountability Office
Millions of U.S. mothers and infants each year forgo the health benefits of breastfeeding and rely on infant formula. Infants who are breastfed are less likely to develop infectious diseases and chronic health problems, such as diabetes and asthma, while breastfeeding mothers are less likely to develop certain types of cancer. Recognizing the health benefits of breastfeeding for infants and mothers, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2010 campaign has recommended that more U.S. infants be breastfed and that babies be breastfed for longer periods of time. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. would save a minimum of $3.6 billion in health care costs and indirect costs, such as parents' lost wages, if breastfeeding increased to meet these Healthy People goals. Breastfeeding rates are particularly low among infants who participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). WIC is administered by the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in cooperation with state and local agencies. The program provides free food and infant formula to improve the health and nutritional well-being of low-income women, infants, and young children. Nearly half of infants born in the U.S. receive benefits through WIC. Although formula manufacturers agree that breastfeeding is best, they market infant formula as an alternative for mothers who do not exclusively breastfeed. A congressional committee asked us to review the potential impact of infant formula marketing on breastfeeding rates, especially for infants in the WIC program. We answered the following questions: 1) What are the estimated breastfeeding rates for infants in the general population and for infants on WIC, and how do these rates compare to recommended breastfeeding rates? 2) How is infant formula marketed to women in general and to women on WIC in particular? 3) What is known about the impact of infant formula marketing on the breastfeeding rates of women in the general population and women on WIC?
On December 14, 2005, we briefed interested congressional staff on the results of our analysis. This report formally conveys information provided during that briefing. In summary, WIC and non-WIC breastfeeding rates fell short of most national goals, but rates were substantially lower for WIC infants. Infant formula marketing targets non-WIC mothers and also reaches WIC mothers. Some of these marketing efforts use the trademarked WIC acronym in promotional materials. Although FNS requires states to restrict this practice in their WIC contracts, most states do not. A majority of studies we reviewed that examine giving free formula samples to mothers at hospital discharge found lower breastfeeding rates among both WIC and non-WIC mothers. However, little is known about the impact of most types of marketing.
Breastfeeding: Some Strategies Used to Market Infant Formula May Discourage Breastfeeding; State Contracts Should Better Protect Against Misuse of WIC Name, GAO-06-282, February 8, 2006
On December 14, 2005, we briefed interested congressional staff on the results of our analysis. This report formally conveys information provided during that briefing. In summary, WIC and non-WIC breastfeeding rates fell short of most national goals, but rates were substantially lower for WIC infants. Infant formula marketing targets non-WIC mothers and also reaches WIC mothers. Some of these marketing efforts use the trademarked WIC acronym in promotional materials. Although FNS requires states to restrict this practice in their WIC contracts, most states do not. A majority of studies we reviewed that examine giving free formula samples to mothers at hospital discharge found lower breastfeeding rates among both WIC and non-WIC mothers. However, little is known about the impact of most types of marketing.
Breastfeeding: Some Strategies Used to Market Infant Formula May Discourage Breastfeeding; State Contracts Should Better Protect Against Misuse of WIC Name, GAO-06-282, February 8, 2006
Friday, February 03, 2006
Lingerie store says no to breast-feeding (Houston Chronicle)
COLUMBIA, S.C. — In a Victoria's Secret store, surrounded by frilly bras and blown-up images of barely covered models, Lori Rueger says she was told to find somewhere else to breast feed.
Rueger's story — told during a hearing in support of a state bill to ensure breast feeding is allowed in public places — so angered a state lawmaker that he's urging women to form a national Mothers Against Victoria's Secret movement.
"It's really kind of subhuman behavior. And subhuman behavior warrants some kind of strong response other than just a little law that we pass in South Carolina," Rep. Walt McLeod, D-Little Mountain, said Wednesday.
Rueger was one of more than a couple of dozen mothers, doctors, lawyers and other breast-feeding advocates who were on hand to urge passage of the bill.
click to read more...
Rueger's story — told during a hearing in support of a state bill to ensure breast feeding is allowed in public places — so angered a state lawmaker that he's urging women to form a national Mothers Against Victoria's Secret movement.
"It's really kind of subhuman behavior. And subhuman behavior warrants some kind of strong response other than just a little law that we pass in South Carolina," Rep. Walt McLeod, D-Little Mountain, said Wednesday.
Rueger was one of more than a couple of dozen mothers, doctors, lawyers and other breast-feeding advocates who were on hand to urge passage of the bill.
click to read more...
Mothers urge declaration (The Topeka Capitol-Journal)
The act earning Aggie Nickelson a public rebuke seems innocuous enough.
She went to the restroom of a restaurant to nurse her infant son.
"A woman walked in and told me she was very offended and that in the state of Kansas it was illegal," the Hutchinson woman said Thursday during a Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee hearing. "She was going to call the police and have me arrested."
Her story was similar to that of Amy Swan, of Lawrence. She was accosted by a man while nursing her daughter in the nursery at a Lawrence health club.
"My experience at the health club was so degrading and humiliating," Swan said.
click to read more...
She went to the restroom of a restaurant to nurse her infant son.
"A woman walked in and told me she was very offended and that in the state of Kansas it was illegal," the Hutchinson woman said Thursday during a Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee hearing. "She was going to call the police and have me arrested."
Her story was similar to that of Amy Swan, of Lawrence. She was accosted by a man while nursing her daughter in the nursery at a Lawrence health club.
"My experience at the health club was so degrading and humiliating," Swan said.
click to read more...
Mothers ask for law to OK public nursing (The Hutchinson News)
TOPEKA - Hutchinson resident Agatha Nickelson bounced her infant son on her lap Thursday as she listened to other mothers, a grandfather and nurses testify for a bill aiming to support mothers who breastfeed babies in public.
The bill, Nickelson hopes, could remedy situations like the one she and her son, Wyatt, faced last fall.
While shopping at the Hutchinson Mall, Nickelson said, she stopped in a restroom to change the baby's diaper. He was hungry, so she sat on a chair, covered herself and her son with a blanket, and started to nurse him.
A woman passing through stopped with a look of disgust, she said.
"She began telling me how offended she was and that in the state of Kansas it was illegal to breastfeed in public," Nickelson said.
The woman then threatened to call police to arrest her. The outburst spurred Nickelson to pack up and leave.
click to read more...
The bill, Nickelson hopes, could remedy situations like the one she and her son, Wyatt, faced last fall.
While shopping at the Hutchinson Mall, Nickelson said, she stopped in a restroom to change the baby's diaper. He was hungry, so she sat on a chair, covered herself and her son with a blanket, and started to nurse him.
A woman passing through stopped with a look of disgust, she said.
"She began telling me how offended she was and that in the state of Kansas it was illegal to breastfeed in public," Nickelson said.
The woman then threatened to call police to arrest her. The outburst spurred Nickelson to pack up and leave.
click to read more...
Mothers ask for law to OK public nursing (The Hutchinson News)
TOPEKA - Hutchinson resident Agatha Nickelson bounced her infant son on her lap Thursday as she listened to other mothers, a grandfather and nurses testify for a bill aiming to support mothers who breastfeed babies in public.
The bill, Nickelson hopes, could remedy situations like the one she and her son, Wyatt, faced last fall.
While shopping at the Hutchinson Mall, Nickelson said, she stopped in a restroom to change the baby's diaper. He was hungry, so she sat on a chair, covered herself and her son with a blanket, and started to nurse him.
A woman passing through stopped with a look of disgust, she said.
"She began telling me how offended she was and that in the state of Kansas it was illegal to breastfeed in public," Nickelson said.
The woman then threatened to call police to arrest her. The outburst spurred Nickelson to pack up and leave.
click to read more...
The bill, Nickelson hopes, could remedy situations like the one she and her son, Wyatt, faced last fall.
While shopping at the Hutchinson Mall, Nickelson said, she stopped in a restroom to change the baby's diaper. He was hungry, so she sat on a chair, covered herself and her son with a blanket, and started to nurse him.
A woman passing through stopped with a look of disgust, she said.
"She began telling me how offended she was and that in the state of Kansas it was illegal to breastfeed in public," Nickelson said.
The woman then threatened to call police to arrest her. The outburst spurred Nickelson to pack up and leave.
click to read more...
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Nursing mothers seek indecency protection (AZCentral.com)
Group milks support from lawmakers . . . About two dozen members of the La Leche League flooded the Capitol on Tuesday to register support for two bills that would protect mothers who breast-feed in public from being prosecuted for indecent exposure.
The group was followed around by lots of cute, though sometimes loud, toddlers and infants.
Not your usual Tuesday at the Capitol.
Neither of the bills, Senate Bill 1121 or House Bill 2376, were being heard Tuesday, but the group just wanted to stay abrea . . . Oh, never mind, you get the story.
One of the lactivists had a great T-shirt, though. It said, simply, "supply" across the front. The toddler in her arms wore a similar T-shirt that said "demand."
click to read more...
The group was followed around by lots of cute, though sometimes loud, toddlers and infants.
Not your usual Tuesday at the Capitol.
Neither of the bills, Senate Bill 1121 or House Bill 2376, were being heard Tuesday, but the group just wanted to stay abrea . . . Oh, never mind, you get the story.
One of the lactivists had a great T-shirt, though. It said, simply, "supply" across the front. The toddler in her arms wore a similar T-shirt that said "demand."
click to read more...
Milk of human kindness overflows (Mail & Guardian Online)
The upmarket suburb of Manor Gardens in Durban may look serene, but is home to ground zero in the fight against Aids. The iThemba Lethu Milk Bank is the first in the world to provide breast milk exclusively for babies abandoned or orphaned by the virus. The initiative is designed to help boost the fragile immune systems of these vulnerable children, many of whom are born underweight and suffering from symptoms such as diarrhoea and eczema.
The Milk Bank, which receives technical support and funding from Unicef, is part of the greater iThemba Lethu (meaning “our hope” in isiZulu) project, a non-profit organisation that seeks to help children whose future is threatened by HIV/Aids. The project consists of an HIV education programme and a transition home, where abandoned and orphaned babies are cared for until they can be placed with either their own extended family or with foster or adoptive parents. Penny Reimers, the Milk Bank coordinator, explains that, for these babies to have a fighting chance, they need an extra boost: “The babies we care for come from HIV-positive mothers. Their mothers have either passed away or have abandoned them. Many of these babies are malnourished and have eczema. Breast milk is more nutritious than formula. We have found that once we start feeding them donor milk they soon become stronger and healthier.”
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The Milk Bank, which receives technical support and funding from Unicef, is part of the greater iThemba Lethu (meaning “our hope” in isiZulu) project, a non-profit organisation that seeks to help children whose future is threatened by HIV/Aids. The project consists of an HIV education programme and a transition home, where abandoned and orphaned babies are cared for until they can be placed with either their own extended family or with foster or adoptive parents. Penny Reimers, the Milk Bank coordinator, explains that, for these babies to have a fighting chance, they need an extra boost: “The babies we care for come from HIV-positive mothers. Their mothers have either passed away or have abandoned them. Many of these babies are malnourished and have eczema. Breast milk is more nutritious than formula. We have found that once we start feeding them donor milk they soon become stronger and healthier.”
click to read more...
TELEVISION: When is it time to stop breastfeeding? (Peterborough Today)
Breast might be best for babies, but is it normal to carry on breastfeeding until your child is a toddler and beyond? As the documentary Extraordinary Breastfeeding on Channel 4 tonight explores the issue, we ask city mums about their experiences. ANN MOLYNEUX reports.
Many women will find the idea of breastfeeding their children years after they have started school unpalatable.
But then they probably haven't given it a lot of thought, because, for most new mothers, real life has a habit of getting in the way, whether you are returning to work or having another baby.
A Channel 4 documentary, Extraordinary Breastfeeding, tonight at 9pm, tells the stories of women who believe that children should never be forcibly weaned, but should decide for themselves when they want to stop.
click to read more...
Many women will find the idea of breastfeeding their children years after they have started school unpalatable.
But then they probably haven't given it a lot of thought, because, for most new mothers, real life has a habit of getting in the way, whether you are returning to work or having another baby.
A Channel 4 documentary, Extraordinary Breastfeeding, tonight at 9pm, tells the stories of women who believe that children should never be forcibly weaned, but should decide for themselves when they want to stop.
click to read more...
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