Help me write a letter to Whole Foods?

[Una]

I was in Whole Foods earlier and I saw a banner in the infant care section that really bothered me. It said 'BPA free bottles, you can whip them out anywhere' and there was a picture of an infant in a wrap.

Has anyone else seen this? I'm going to go back tomorrow and snap a picture of it.

I feel like they sending a poor message about nursing in public and I'd like to write a letter to Whole Foods but I'm not the best at getting my message across. Can someone help me draft a letter?

[SarahGuinn]

I think it's kind of funny. :

If I was bothered by it, I'd go stand next to it and nurse over the top, completely indiscreet and bring some friends along with me. No letter, just stand and talk to the manager like that about why it bothered me. I've found that Whole Foods is extremely open to working things out with unhappy customers.

[2mama]

The sign is a bit tachy sounding, I would complain...

[Una]

Originally Posted by SarahGuinn

I think it's kind of funny. :

If I was bothered by it, I'd go stand next to it and nurse over the top, completely indiscreet and bring some friends along with me. No letter, just stand and talk to the manager like that about why it bothered me. I've found that Whole Foods is extremely open to working things out with unhappy customers.

I think this sounds like a much better idea actually. A humorous way of getting the point across!

[MaryJaneLouise]

I would contact http://firstright.org/ they have good legal people to be able to phrase your idease in writing. I agree, it is "trying" to be funny but isn't. By implying that "whip them out" is offensive, they are possibly discouraging women from breastfeeding the normal way, with breasts

[riverscout]

Originally Posted by Una

I think this sounds like a much better idea actually. A humorous way of getting the point across!

Yeah, but if this is a nationwide thing, like a banner that was sent to all the stores, I don't think that would be very effective. It couldn't hurt to discuss it with the manager I suppose, but I would still follow up with a letter to corporate.

I was just at WF yesterday, but as usual was too preoccupied with my kids to notice much of anything else. I'll go back and check to see if the same thing is there.

[evermore82]

It bothers me a little, too. They are marketing baby bottles in a way that makes breastfeeding seem obtrusive, insinuating that you cannot or should not "whip it out anywhere."

I would write a letter, starting by saying something good about the campaign--that it is nice to see safe plastics advertised in their stores, especially for children and babies, the most sensitive of users. Then I would move on to tactfully point out how their chosen slogan negates the natural aspects of breastfeeding, as many people often refer to how breastfeeding is easy, as you can "whip it out anywhere"--you don't have to worry about washing, steralizing, preparing a bottle--it is already prepared and prepackaged without any clean-up. The wording may also make a woman, who perhaps feels insecure about NIP in the first place, second guess her breastfeeding relationship, making her even more hesitant to breastfeed away from home.

Make it short and sweet. Hope that helps. Let us know their response!