Wisconsin NBA fans encouraged to donate formula

[Janice in Canada]

Lady Bucks Announce "Formula FastBreak"

http://www.nba.com/bucks/news/Formul...ak_070319.html


March 19, 2007 - Fans attending the Bucks/Pistons game on Sunday, March 25 will have an opportunity to make an impact on the lives of single mothers in the state of Wisconsin. The “Lady Bucks” – a group of Bucks wives, family members and employees – have teamed up with Piggly Wiggly and Hunger Task Force to coordinate the first-ever “Bucks Formula FastBreak”, an event designed to raise funds and collect baby/infant formula for Wisconsin mothers in need.

“This is a cause that all Bucks fans – both men and women – can easily be a part of,” said Jan Krystkowiak, wife of Bucks Head Coach Larry Krystkowiak. “When we first spoke about our involvement with this event, the entire Lady Bucks group felt that it was a worthwhile cause and something that could impact the lives of many children and families in Wisconsin.”

(see link for full press release)

Janice

[mom2snugbugs]

GRRRRRRR!

One step forward- Two steps back!

:

[BCFD]

What does "in need" mean? I'd find that out before getting too annoyed.

[Awaken]

I want to respond but see no way to send an email- just phone and mail listed. it is really hard for me to ever call someone and say anything coherent with 2 kids around. If anyone can see the email contact info on the site please post b/c I'd like to write in.

Yeah, formula is so expensive, so maybe they should know about this great, free alternative- breastmilk.

[Janice in Canada]

Posted here with her permission, here's one person's accouont of how her phone call to the Lady Bucks office went:




Bad day for them to return my call, I guess. Lori, the marketing person, called me a little while ago. Told me whatever it was she wanted to say, but I kept finding reasons to interrupt with my own opinion...

You know, some of these mothers are feeding their babies straight cow's milk. "Lori, there is no documented evidence that cow's milk is any better or worse than infant formula."

Well, we got together with WIC, and discovered that they are so poor, they just cannot afford infant formula, and rely on donations "Lori, that is all the more reason why you should be supporting breastfeeding and lactation services. They get a small donation today, but what do they do for the rest of their baby's first year?"

These mothers are truly desperate. "Yes, I understand that. I also remember seeing the images of the truly desperate mothers whose babies were dying in the southern United States during the hurricanes which hit in the past few years. There was a huge rush to donate formula to these babies, and they died because of diluted formulas, dirty water, not enough to eat. And where are the donations today? Does anyone even remember Rita? Jeanne? Katrina?
Ivan?"

<<giggle>> but we don't have hurricanes here! "Well, that's true. But, have you had any ice storms or snow storms in recent times which froze pipes in the house, so water was not available? Storms which prevented mothers from getting to stores? Storms which prevented suppliers from getting to stores?
" <<silence>>

Well, we're just a professional organization trying to help some people.
"Yes, and that is admirable. You have a lot of clout behind your name and it would be nice to see you find a more worthwhile cause. The multi-billion dollar formula industry doesn't need free advertising."

She grew frustrated, and I really wasn't in the mood to be politically correct. She found a way to get off the phone, and I went back to reading my history book.

As hard as she tried, she had no way of really convincing me that this was such a great idea. And just because "someone on the Oprah show payed it forward by using $1000 to buy formula" just doesn't cut it.

Best wishes,
Sam Doak

<<

[Janice in Canada]

This column reprints all the information from the press release.

There is a TALK BACK link at the bottom for comments, if you are brave enough!!

http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articl...spn.html?11111

Janice

[firstkid4me]

Originally Posted by Janice in Canada

This column reprints all the information from the press release.

There is a TALK BACK link at the bottom for comments, if you are brave enough!!

http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articl...spn.html?11111

Janice

I'm seeing an article about the Badgers game.

[Janice in Canada]

Originally Posted by firstkid4me

I'm seeing an article about the Badgers game.

skim to the bottom of the column.

[rosie29]

[turtlewomyn]

Hmmm, at first I was thinking "Well, for some mothers who have already been sucked into the formula thing (with free samples perhaps) may need this because they may have low income and I have heard of mothers watering down formula when they can't afford it." - I don't know much about relactation, but I am sure not all can do that either.
However, I looked at the article and the specifically say newborns at least twice, so they are targeting brand new moms that still have a chance to breastfeed.
If I lived in Wisconsin I would go to that game and drop a breast pump in their donation box, or some LLL literature, or purchase a gift card to a local LC or something.

[Momtwice]

Someone should tell them the point Janice raises recently,
that it's unethical according to the (WHO Code/)World Health Organization
to donate formula unless you donate an entire year's worth.

Also the WHO (in the WHO Code rules) says that these people should make sure to tell the moms the risk of supplementing on breastfeeding mom's milk supplies, and the risks of formula feeding to health.

[Janice in Canada]

Originally Posted by Momtwice

Someone should tell them the point Janice raises recently,
that it's unethical according to the (WHO Code/)World Health Organization
to donate formula unless you donate an entire year's worth.

6.7 Where donated supplies of infant formula or other products within the scope of this Code are distributed outside an institution, the institution or organization should take steps to ensure that supplies can be continued as long as the infants concerned need them. Donors, as well as institutions or organizations concerned, should bear in mind this responsibility.

Janice

[firstkid4me]

Originally Posted by Momtwice

Someone should tell them the point Janice raises recently,
that it's unethical according to the (WHO Code/)World Health Organization
to donate formula unless you donate an entire year's worth.

Also the WHO (in the WHO Code rules) says that these people should make sure to tell the moms the risk of supplementing on breastfeeding mom's milk supplies, and the risks of formula feeding to health.

This is the part that I don't get about the lactivism forum here, the US has not adopted the WHO code, and it's likely they won't for a very long time, yet people use it as an argument against companies and things like this. It's not a valid argument because our country doesn't honor it!

[Momtwice]

Originally Posted by firstkid4me

This is the part that I don't get about the lactivism forum here, the US has not adopted the WHO code, and it's likely they won't for a very long time, yet people use it as an argument against companies and things like this. It's not a valid argument because our country doesn't honor it!

It is still valid to me as a Code of ethics. The American Academy of Family Physicians also endorses it.
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/p...tionpaper.html

Something doesn't have to be legally required for me to agree with it.

[My4Boys]

This is the part that I don't get about the lactivism forum here, the US has not adopted the WHO code, and it's likely they won't for a very long time, yet people use it as an argument against companies and things like this. It's not a valid argument because our country doesn't honor it!

So, because the US doesn't honor the WHO code, it IS ethical and OK to give newly pregnanty mothers a months worth of free formula that they may not be able to continue to afford to purchase without also giving them the risk/benefit information? Because the US doesn't honor the WHO code, lactivists should not continue trying to get the US to honor the WHO code by making people aware of it's existance?

[Janice in Canada]

Originally Posted by firstkid4me

This is the part that I don't get about the lactivism forum here, the US has not adopted the WHO code, and it's likely they won't for a very long time, yet people use it as an argument against companies and things like this. It's not a valid argument because our country doesn't honor it!

Oh I think its absolutely valid as an *arguement*. The World Health Organization has researched this and recommended it - just because the United States chooses to ignore this research, doesn't invalidate the *truth* of it. It shows companies what many, many other countries have accepted as the standard of behaviour.

If the U.S. had signed and ratified it - then it would be a law, and there would be legal means to make sure people followed. We wouldn't have to *argue* with them and appeal to their own ethics and morality (which is what we are doing now when we contact companies or organizations). We, as grass-roots lactivists, only have our moral persuasion and numbers to give us power, and quoting the World Health Organization recommendations is one of our tools.

If the US were a signatory, then I would hope there would be a law, and health officials or other governing bodies would actually be monitoring for these things, and THEY would be using legal means to enforce it. WE (as grass roots lactivists) wouldn't/shouldn't have to be educate them.


Yes, you are right, we shouldn't be saying they *must* do this (follow the CODE) in the US - We (grass-roots lactivists) have no power over them anyhow.

But I have no problem with showing the standard accepted by the rest of the world. Are US babies suddenly more relisient to the affects of formula? Are US moms suddenly completely impenetrable when it comes to marketing tactics???

Janice

[Momtwice]

The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) also have praise for the WHO Code at their website.

I can't post the link because of formatting issues (it puts a big smiley face in the middle! )

but if you google "CDC Who Code Breastfeeding" you can find it.

[Momtwice]

And also, only five countries in the world, the US being one of them, have taken no action on the Code. So clearly it is in the minority.

Correction, that's 9 countries.
(see "Putting Babies Before Business," by Rev. Simon Barrington-Ward, [bishop of Coventry, member of the House of Lords] Mothering May-June 1998, no. 88)

[Awaken]

Originally Posted by Janice in Canada

You have a lot of clout behind your name and it would be nice to see you find a more worthwhile cause. The multi-billion dollar formula industry doesn't need free advertising."

Originally Posted by Momtwice

Also the WHO (in the WHO Code rules) says that these people should make sure to tell the moms the risk of supplementing on breastfeeding mom's milk supplies, and the risks of formula feeding to health.

Excellent points.

[super mamabug]

bucks website

This is quoted from the Wisconsin Bucks website:
Hunger Task Force advocates breast feeding as the first and best option for new mothers. In situations where breast feeding is impossible, Hunger Task Force acts to ensure mothers are equipped with sufficient supplies of infant formula to ensure that newborns receive the nutrition they need.

http://www.nba.com/bucks/news/Formul...ak_070319.html

Just thought I would add. It is right in the middle of the article and in bold.
Usha