Action Needed: Real Simple Magazine Falsely Representing Breastfeeding - Page 4

[momileigh]

http://www.ncmc.edu/index.php?module...mid=-1&ceid=34

I think they moved the link, but this one should work! It is under departments-ob/gyn, not under Dr's, because he's dept. head.

I'm thinking of creating a webpage in tribute to this trailblazing physician. After all, he is a brave soul to go up against the entire medical establishment, don't you think?

[pinky]

Originally posted by dubylyu
[BI'm thinking of creating a webpage in tribute to this trailblazing physician. After all, he is a brave soul to go up against the entire medical establishment, don't you think? [/B]

[AlohaDeb]

Oh wow, I just stumbled on this....

and I am PISSED! I tried to email in a letter but the site isn't working (or hopefully it is flooded with outraged responses). Here's my letter FWIW...

"I am writing in regards to your "Feature" article called "20 Rules to Break Now." I am shocked and angered that you would print such misleading information about breastfeeding your child. What is especially infuriating is that this article makes it sound as if "they" recommend breastfeeding for purely arbitrary reasons, when nothing could be further from the truth. The benefits of breastfeeding have been extensively researched and documented, and in nearly ALL comparisons of formula-fed vs. breast-fed babies, breastfed babies fare better. Despite your "expert's" (a term I am using VERY loosely) opinion in this article, breastfeeding provides benefits far beyond mere bonding. The list of breastfeeding benefits for baby include less likelihood of: ear infections, upper and lower respiratory infections, allergies, intestinal disorders, colds, viruses, staph, strep and e. coli infections, diabetes, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, many childhood cancers, meningitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, salmonella, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS) as well as long term protection from Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis, some lymphomas, insulin dependent diabetes, and for girls, breast and ovarian cancer.

Furthermore, if your magazine is truly dedicated to "simplifying your life," breastfeeding should be your number one suggestion to new mothers. If you are breastfeeding, there is no need for someone to mix formula, warm it to the appropriate temperature, lug bottles and nipples around in your diaper bag, wash all the bottles and nipples, and organize and find storage for all those same bottles and nipples. There is no concern that you will run out and have to make extra shopping trips. You can travel much easier, since you'll never have to worry about finding the same brand of formula or the water quality at your destination. Breastfeeding is a FAR simpler solution to feeding your baby than formula.

I was under the impression that Real Simple was about simplifying your life, but this article seems to indicate it is written by simple minds."

I'd like to send a snail mail - can someone post the appropriate address here?

BTW, I am totally going to look at next month's issue to see whether they print any of these letters to the editor. And of course, I am sure there will be some annoying letter from a formula-feeding mom, applauding their "bravery" in standing up to the "breastfeeding Nazis." :Puke Ya know, there IS a big difference between bravery and stupidity in my book!!!!

The whole carefree, devil-may-care attitude of the breastfeeding section just really annoys the heck outta me.

[bonbon mama]

REAL SIMPLE, Time & Life Building
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020-1393

Correspondence should include the writer's full name,
address, and home telephone, and may be edited for
purposes of clarity or space.

[Kerlowyn]

You gotta get them where it really hurts.
They make $$$ by selling ads, so the readership will see the ads. The more readers they have, the higher the prices are for these ads.

I just cancelled my subscription. I won't be reading any articles or looking at any ads.

I did email a letter telling them why I was cancelling.

I am so angry my head hurts

[ramlita]

here's what I got in my Seattle Midwifery School newsletter

maybe some of these links will help...

Real Simple is real stupid about breastfeeding!

The August 2003 issue of Real Simple magazine, currently on newsstands,
contains an article titled "20 Time Wasting Rules to Break Now."
According to the magazine, one of the time wasting rules to break is
breastfeeding! A quote from the article: "What happens if you don't
breastfeed your child? 'In the long run, nothing,' says Boris
Petrikovsky, chairman of the department of obstetrics-gynecology at
Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, New York. When you're
bottle feeding, you know exactly how much food the baby is eating, and
Mom may be less tired because dad has no excuse to sleep through 3 a.m.
feedings. 'There is also absolutely no conclusive data on breast milk's
effects on brain development,' adds Petrikovsky."
Interestingly, Dr. Petrikovsky has received a Mead Johnson Traveling
Fellowship (Mead Johnson makes Enfamil).

Here are several resources to help you respond to Real Simple:
<http://www.geocities.com/gremarly/realsimple.html>
www.geocities.com/gremarly/realsimple.html (sample letters to the
editor, the doctor's e-mail address, and contact info for the magazine's
advertisers)
<http://www.promom.org/3min/index.htm> www.promom.org/3min/index.htm
(easy to send, editable e-mail letter to Real Simple)
<http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/web/letter.html>
www.realsimple.com/realsimple/web/letter.html (direct link for sending
letters to the editor)
<http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/lactate/media.htm>
www.tdh.state.tx.us/lactate/media.htm (more general sample letters for
responding to representations of breastfeeding in the media)

[ramlita]

oh, and here's my letter...

Kristin Van Ogtrop, Managing Editor
REAL SIMPLE, Time & Life Building
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020-1393.

Dear Ms. Van Ogtrop,

Regarding your "20 Rules to Break Now": as a reader and breastfeeding mother, I have to say I was shocked by the article and disappointed in the magazine for publishing it! I have been an off-the-news stand reader for some time, but this article made me think twice about where I want to spend my money.

I don’t have to tell you that breastfeeding is by far the superior choice for feeding babies. This has been established in every reputable study done on the subject. I must add, though, that breastfeeding is also superior in regards to effective use of our time.
When my daughter was newly born, people soon began asking sympathetically if she "slept through the night" yet. My answer was always pretty much the same- "Well, mostly. I know I do!" She could nurse as much as she wanted throughout the night, with no more effort from me than occasionally rolling over. Her nutritional and emotional needs were met in the way nature intended- and my husband got a full night's sleep every night, saving his energy to be helpful during the day!

Next, I have to point out that leaving the house could only get more difficult with formula. When nursing, I can just grab the diaper bag and go! I can feed my baby anytime, anywhere, with no advance planning or work. And with breastfeeding, my baby gets only the food she needs. With formula, parents find themselves encouraging babies to finish their bottles so that there won't be any waste. Babies know when to eat,
and when to stop. To begin feeding them more than they want at such a young age sets them up for a lifetime habit of eating for reasons other than hunger.

Your article focuses on many items that are quite frivolous, and to include the decision to breastfeed along with these trivial issues is insulting to your readers. Knowing what I do about the importance of breastfeeding casts serious doubts in my mind with regard to your other health-related tips.

I would like to see a feature in your magazine that details the benefits of breastfeeding our children. Unlike using the synthesized, inferior substitute,
Breastfeeding is Real Simple.

Sincerely,

[Momtwice]

More outraged MDC moms, please click here:

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...threadid=76219

[guestmama9924]

Originally posted by captain optimism
I have to say, I wonder if the OB GYN is being bribed somehow, like getting money from the formula companies.

The doctor that wrote it is a contracted spokesman ( like the slimeball Dr Greene) for ....drum roll......MEAD JOHNSON!!


edited to add:

in the past, the editors column includes references to not feeling guilty about feeding her kids badly, leaving them for work, and having them make bad decisions on their own. I am not accurately paraphrasing, but over all, her tone about being a mother is NOT positive.

So good luck to all the letter writers, but I usually just protest with my $$. The crappy form letter they are already cranking out in response to the anger is about as sincere as their magazine....

I let the sponsors of the magazine know and I don't buy the magazine.

[Momtwice]

There is a link about this thread and this issue on the homepage of Mothering.com!

Check it out!

[Quirky]

Has anyone gotten the latest issue to know whether they actually responded? (Not that I'm holding my breath.... : )

[happy_mama35]

i sent a letter to the editor, too

With some help from the links Mothering.com provided (and a tidbit of research), I drafted the following and sent it on to Real Simple:

Dear Editor,
Your article "20 Time-Wasting Rules to Break Now" in the Aug '03 issue is a joke. Breastfeeding, included on your list, is far from being a time-waster. It is an investment in a child's physical, mental and emotional future and time well-spent.

And when choosing sources for comment in articles it would behoove you to select those who are truly knowledgeable in their field of expertise. If the doctor quoted in the aforementioned article considers himself a resource for his patients, he ought to reconsider that. By his comment that there is no "conclusive data on breast milk's effects on brain development," he proves what he finds a time-waster for himself: reading peer-reviewed articles on the subject of breastfeeding. One such article, "Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and Academic Outcomes," (Jan 1998 Pediatrics) regards the Horwood and Fergusson study. The authors of the study conclude that breastfeeding is associated with "detectable increases in child cognitive ability and educational achievement."

Additionally, please don't use male OB/GYNs to comment on breastfeeding issues -- what does a male know about breastfeeding other than what can be learned in a primer?

Shame on you for publishing unresearched dribble. Shame on me for reading it. I guarantee I won't waste another minute purchasing a copy of Real Simple and reading it.

[lovebunnies]

here's my letter

To Real Simple Magazine,

I was shocked and dismayed when I found breast-feeding included among the 20 "time-wasting" rules to break NOW" in Aug. 2003's "Breaking the Rules". It seemed as though your editor didn't read the article. How could you lump breast-feeding together with trivial topics like how much water to use while boiling spaghetti, or shoes and handbags matching? Casually grouping breast-feeding with these frivolities implies it's not important to breast-feed. Many of your readers who aren't yet mothers might take the author's words as a green light to forego one of the most meaningful experiences they could ever have: the affection and lifelong bonding (for mother AND child) that breastfeeding promotes, as well as significant, proven long-term health benefits for baby. To suggest it's perfectly fine to skip breast-feeding altogether is just plain irresponsible and shows a lack of care for the well-being of children. To top it off, you include a photo of an infant being bottle-fed, which further endorses this practice. Come ON!!

Breast-feeding is much easier and bottle-feeding. You don't need to bring anything along on outings, and there are no bottles to prepare or wash. Breast milk is always there at the perfect temperature and has the appropriate ratio of nutrients, its composition changing daily to suit baby's constantly changing needs.

Breast-feeding is not "conventional wisdom whose time has come and gone", as your introduction states. I would argue that bottle-feeding is actually the conventional route in America, and although breast-feeding is making a comeback, it is still considered unconventional in many circles. Many American women have a preconceived notion that it's too much trouble to breast-feed and quit early on, if they try at all, and their doctors don't challenge them on it. The doctor you interviewed apparently has not given thought to the immeasurable emotional and psychological benefits that breast-feeding affords both mother and child.

How and when did things stray so far from what nature intended? From the 40s up until the 80s, many American doctors were touting the supposed 'convenience' of this new wonder fluid: artificial baby formula, and actually discouraged women from nursing. Scientists now admit how little they understood about breast-milk's composition back then. But the damage had been done. By undermining mothers' primal instinct to breast-feed their babies, doctors inadvertently short-circuited women's mothering hormones, and a lot more than just their milk dried up in the process.

Three generations have been raised on formula in this country. We're puzzled by all the violence in the public schools, and how the number of overweight children is on the rise. We have a society full of depressed and detached people. Many of society's ills might very well originate from the modern attitude that mothers can and should take the 'real simple' route, selfishly opting for convenient substitutes to nurturing (i.e. bottle-feeding). If it's so easy to plug the baby with a bottle, someone else could surely hold the bottle. Then the next logical step is to plop the baby in daycare--even when it's not a financial necessity--and resume life as a 'liberated' woman, editing articles about how to cut corners as a parent because we deserve a break, while lamenting the deterioration of our educational system over long lunches with friends. It's a sad irony and a real shame that the media rarely discusses this taboo subject. What a tragedy it is that so many of today's women accept what is essentially infant and child abandonment as the societal norm.

I wish more mothers would allow themselves to actually experience and savor motherhood and slow down enough to truly give of themselves to their infants for a while. Children and adults who were breastfed have an overall better sense of well-being, and tend to gravitate toward relationships with people instead of material things.

Do you have any mothers on your staff who take the time to be with their babies, or are all the children parked at daycare all day, guzzling formula like numb zombies missing the warmth of their mommies? The fact that this article went to print makes me wonder...

I would like to see your magazine print a retraction of breastfeeding from your list of time-wasting activities and 'conventional wisdom whose time has come and gone'. To make good, consider writing an article about the simplicity of mothering the natural way, how easy and wonderful it is to breastfeed your child.

Cynthia Moscaritolo

[rachdoll]

Here's my letter....

"To the editors of Real Simple:

In your August, 2003 issue, the 20 time-wasting things
to stop doing article, breastfeeding is listed as a
waste of time. I'm sure that it was simply not fully
researched or thought out, but breastfeeding is not at
all a waste of time, and the doctor that said
breastfeeding is not a factor in brain development, I
think he needs to research that a bit more. I don't
know where he learned that, but I have heard numerous
times that breastfed babies have higher IQs, that
their brains develop quicker. I was really upset to
hear that a reputable publication would publish such
misinformation.

It is much easier to simply lift up my shirt and latch
my daughter on then it would be to measure formula,
measure water, put in bottle, mix thoroughly, warm to
appropriate temperature, feed baby, clean bottle and
nipple, and periodically check condition of rubber
nipples (because they do wear out). And, even if it
weren't simpler at the very moment, consider that
formula fed babies go to the pediatrian significantly
more than breastfed babies. These trips to the
pediatrician are often followed by a trip to the
neighborhood pharmacy to pick up the prescription.
This prescription must be given so many times a day,
in the perfect dosage. All this while dealing with a
fussy, sick baby. Is that really simpler? And what
about the research that formula fed babies are at
greater risk for obesity? and asthma? I, for one, am
greatful that my mother 'wasted' her time to
breastfeed me, now I don't waste my time trying to
lose 100+ pounds of extra weight, while looking for my
inhaler, because I can't leave the house without it.

I really hope you consider retracting that portion
about breastfeeding as a waste of time, and maybe
instead say that formula feeding is a waste of time.
Oh, but that would probably offend the formula-feeding
mothers out there, and heaven forbid we do that.

Thank you for your time."

now I will sit and wait for my response-from-a-can. How annoying!

[hkrose]

Ms Tuhy:

Imagine the surprise I felt while reading the August issue of Real Simple Magazine: not only was I enjoying your feature article "Breaking the Rules" I was also breastfeeding my 8 week old daughter when I was shocked and highly disappointed to come across your casual dismissle of one of the most profound and life altering experiences I have had the honor to engage in. To call breastfeeding a waste of time is not only clear misinformation, it is also a slight to every mother who makes the choice and the commitment to nuture a child the way nature intended. As I have experienced first hand, the commitment to breastfeeding is one whose return is tenfold. Imagine sharing disease fighting antibodies, sustinance for growing brain cells, and a profound emotional connection with the simple act of feeding a child. As for the assumption that formula provides an equally healthy alternative to breastmilk, one might be surprised to find corn syrup, sugar, and coconut oil as the top ingredients of infant formula. It is surprising that Real Simple Magazine would find the very foods which adults are advised against consuming to be a healthy alternative for feeding a child.

Also, you may want to reconsider the use of the photograph of an infant being bottlefed which accompanied your article. In this photograph the infant is being fed expressed breastmilk in an Advent bottle. Advent bottles are used in conjunction with the Advent breastpump, allowing mothers to provide the benefits of breastmilk to their infants when they are unable to nurse.

If this poorly researched and clearly offensive article is representative of Real Simple magazine, I am thankful that I was reading a borrowed copy of August's Issue.

Please excuse me, I must go and waste my time by nurturing my child.

[EMomma]

Wow, I can't believe it took me that long to write a fairly crappy letter. Well, I did let them have it as best I could. Not eloquent, but it looks like you other mamas took care of that. I'm afraid I wound up with quantity more than quality, but at least they know there are a lot of smart mamas who are outraged. Good night all!

[MathZebra]

How 'bout this for a "worst case scenerio"?

I bf my newborn until I went back to work, then I decided to supplement with formula. He broke out in a rash. Turns out he has a severe allergy to cow's milk. But it didn't stop there, that was just the beginning. It kept getting worse. The doctor said it made him hyper-sensitive. He had hives and blisters and what looked like 3rd degree burns over 90% of his body for the next 4 months. Nothing helped. After losing weight for 2 months and finally becoming dehydrated from the wounds draining, he was put indefinately on steriods.

Cow's milk was made for calves. Breastmilk was made for babies.

[VitaminMom]

Catching up

Hi.. Im busy reading backwards... will post more soon.

MathZebra... Oh Dear!!! I feel for you.
Here is a resource that may help.
http://www.livingwithout.com/

[Luebby]

Hello! First time poster here.
I tried both backyard and easyfood as passwords and neither work. They may have been so innundated with inquiries they changed it.
I did submit a letter to the editor.

[anna]

OK, here's how I spent my morning...

Dear Editors,

I recently read the article in August's issue "20 Rules to Break Now." Putting aside the weighty concerns of infant nutrition and nurturing, I am amazed that anyone could perceive bottle-feeding to be easier than nursing. The additional preparation (while baby is screaming), supplies (requiring daily maintenance), expense (well over $1000/yr), and planning (is the baby going to run out of food?) involved are far less simple than merely lifting your shirt. Add to that the repercussions of artificial baby milk-- lowered immunity, increased risk of childhood obesity, and increased risk of cancers for mom, among others-- and your error crosses the line from insulting to absolutely negligent. This is compounded by the fact that failed to disclose the bias of Dr. Petrikovsky, the expert you quoted to equate formula with breastmilk, who has received research funding from Bristol Myers Squibb, the makers of Enfamil infant formula. Are you on their payroll as well?

What's the worst thing that can happen should a mother choose to feed her child formula? My mother discontinued breastfeeding me after three months, and I nearly died. By the time my parents realized that I had severe allergies to all forms of artificial baby milk, I was a patient at Stanford Childrens Hospital. I vomited after each feeding and pooped only bloody fluid. My bottom and genitalia were covered with large ulcers because I was allergic to my own urine. My parents brought in a photographer to take a portrait of me before I died. It now hangs on their bedroom wall, showing a pale, emaciated little girl with a feeble smile. I survived, but was in so much pain that my parents say that I basically cried for two years straight. I could digest only chicken, turkey, water, and banana and actually remember nightmares of being chased by a giant banana. I can assure you that none of this saved my parents any time.

I would like to see an article detailing the simplicity of breastfeeding and outlining the many benefits to mother and child. Your readers have sent you a voluminous amount of information, including references to scientific studies about breastmilk, why not use it? Such a measure would help to counteract the misinformation that you so irresponsibly printed. Until this article appears in your magazine, I (and hordes of other intelligent readers) will not be reading your magazine or supporting your advertisers. I have contacted Saturn, Brita, Clinique, JJill, Amazon, Homestore, ILoveCheese, Eucerin, and QuickenLoans both by email and snail mail. I look forward to your reply.