----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, September 03, 2004 3:53
AM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] M&CH
and Infant formula
AARRGGHH
This is one of those "that only happens in
America" stories.
I can't believe such a flagrant breach of WHO
codes.
I would complain to the nurse manager of the
unit, and if you don't get and appropriate response from her, then the
director of nursing of the hospital.
And people wonder why there is still a nestle
boycott going on out there...
Kirsten Blacker
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, September 03, 2004
6:07 AM
Subject: [ozmidwifery] M&CH and
Infant formula
Hi,
Last week I had rather an upsetting
experience. I was invited to speak at a meeting of local Maternal
and Child health nurses about the National Health and Medical Research
Council guidelines on infant feeding. I did this in my capacity as
a volunteer breastfeeding counsellor.
I reached the venue at the agreed time, my
talk well prepared, overheads done (at considerable personal expense )
to find......no-one there. But the table was covered in Nestle
sample bags,formula samples and empty kit kat wrappers. The
nurses were out to lunch......paid for by Nestle. The first people
arrived back 1/2 an hour later than I had been asked to attend. My
20 mnth old daughter was also with me, and while she was well-behaved,
she had already been "good" for 1/2 an hour.
Is this common practice in Maternal and
child health in Victoria/Australia. Does Maternal and child health
have a code of ethics? Does this still go on in hospitals (I would
have thought (hoped) not. Who would be the most appropriate
person/group to complain to. I don't believe health professionals
should compromise themselves in this way, and it is in complete
contravention of the WHO code. Some of the nurses have phoned me
personally since then to apologise. I think they could tell I was
unimpressed
Warm Regards,
Barb
IBCLC