On May 21, 1981 the Code of the Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes was adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO). While many in the US consider breastfeeding a lifestyle choice, in fact, lack of breastfeeding results in 4000 infant deaths a day worldwide. Just 37% of babies worldwide are exclusively breastfed for the first six months even though an exclusively breastfed … [Read more...] about What is the WHO Code?
Public Citizen
Choice is a Red Herring
Like cigarette smoking, breastfeeding is a public health issue, not a freedom of choice issue. Obviously, US women feel free to choose not to breastfeed; most of them do. If women were actually intimidated into breastfeeding, we would have a breastfeeding culture. Instead, we have a bottle-feeding culture in which 67% bottle feed. Only 33% of mothers breastfeed. If there is, in … [Read more...] about Choice is a Red Herring
Breastfeeding Awareness
While there was a lot of consternation over the sometimes negative media coverage of breastfeeding in 2012, it will be looked back on as the tipping point in breastfeeding advocacy. In 2012, for the first time, an advocacy group outside of the breastfeeding world took up the cause of formula marketing to new mothers in hospitals. For the first time, a US mayor and a state … [Read more...] about Breastfeeding Awareness