Comments on: Guest Column: Article promoting infant formula denies value of breastfeeding http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/05/09/guest-column-article-promoting-infant-formula-denies-value-of-breastfeeding/ The Rock River Times - THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1993 Wed, 22 May 2013 21:52:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: robert beson http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/05/09/guest-column-article-promoting-infant-formula-denies-value-of-breastfeeding/comment-page-1/#comment-5452 robert beson Wed, 09 May 2012 23:56:56 +0000 http://rockrivertimes.com/?p=37480#comment-5452 Congratulations to dawn Russell for writing the article, and to CHRISTI on commenting "we should be fighting for better workplace conditions and family leave. Changes to these policies, more than anything else, would increase the breastfeeding rates and help support all American families." As a representative of a probiotics manufacturing company ,I would like to state the following NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING WILL EVER COME CLOSE TO HUMAN BREAST MILK NOTHING. I respectfully disagree with CHRISTI on one point re breastfeeding. BREAST FEEDING IS FREE AND ALWAYS WILL BE . Thank you ROBERT BESON PROGURT Congratulations to dawn Russell for writing the article,

and to CHRISTI on commenting

“we should be fighting for better workplace conditions and family leave. Changes to these policies, more than anything else, would increase the breastfeeding rates and help support all American families.”

As a representative of a probiotics manufacturing company ,I would like to state the following NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING WILL EVER COME CLOSE TO HUMAN BREAST MILK NOTHING.

I respectfully disagree with CHRISTI on one point
re breastfeeding.

BREAST FEEDING IS FREE AND ALWAYS WILL BE .

Thank you
ROBERT BESON
PROGURT

]]> By: Christi http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/05/09/guest-column-article-promoting-infant-formula-denies-value-of-breastfeeding/comment-page-1/#comment-5446 Christi Wed, 09 May 2012 14:12:59 +0000 http://rockrivertimes.com/?p=37480#comment-5446 While breastfeeding is best and should always be the goal, that shouldn't keep companies like Nestle from trying to improve their product as much as possible. There are women that cannot breastfeed and others that choose not to breastfeed. Those women should still have a safe, nutritious alternative that they can feel confident feeding their baby. Research like the studies funded by Nestle aren't going to be done by the government or other private organizations because it costs money. Industry has the resources, and the incentive, to pursue studies like this to improve their product so they can be more competitive. As to the claim breastfeeding is free, which is used time and again by breastfeeding activists (most of whom are lactation consultants trying to make money just like the infant formula companies)- Study after study has shown how women, and particularly women with children, earn less than their male counterparts. For example the most recent Rippeyoung study, "Is breastfeeding truly free?: The economic consequences of breastfeeding for women." The study concluded that breastfeeding "can lead to lower earnings in the short-term and may also affect long-term economic prospects by reducing mothers’ prospects for promotions or raises." Breastfeeding should always be the goal, but many women in America do not have the economic luxury to stay out of the work force or take more breaks during the work day. Instead of spending resources fighting the infant formula companies- which is a losing battle, we should be fighting for better workplace conditions and family leave. Changes to these policies, more than anything else, would increase the breastfeeding rates and help support all American families. While breastfeeding is best and should always be the goal, that shouldn’t keep companies like Nestle from trying to improve their product as much as possible. There are women that cannot breastfeed and others that choose not to breastfeed. Those women should still have a safe, nutritious alternative that they can feel confident feeding their baby. Research like the studies funded by Nestle aren’t going to be done by the government or other private organizations because it costs money. Industry has the resources, and the incentive, to pursue studies like this to improve their product so they can be more competitive.

As to the claim breastfeeding is free, which is used time and again by breastfeeding activists (most of whom are lactation consultants trying to make money just like the infant formula companies)- Study after study has shown how women, and particularly women with children, earn less than their male counterparts.

For example the most recent Rippeyoung study, “Is breastfeeding truly free?: The economic consequences of breastfeeding for women.” The study concluded that breastfeeding “can lead to lower earnings in the short-term and may also affect long-term economic prospects by reducing mothers’ prospects for promotions or raises.”

Breastfeeding should always be the goal, but many women in America do not have the economic luxury to stay out of the work force or take more breaks during the work day. Instead of spending resources fighting the infant formula companies- which is a losing battle, we should be fighting for better workplace conditions and family leave. Changes to these policies, more than anything else, would increase the breastfeeding rates and help support all American families.

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