[Camellia]

Does this sound good? What would you add or take out? TIA!

Dear Corvallis Clinic Administrators,

I recently brought my daughter in to the Corvallis Clinic to see Dr. Wong for her two month well baby visit. During my 10 minute wait in the waiting area I viewed 3 formula advertisements. One was a "toy" that was displayed at the check in desk. There were also two tablets of literature with coupons attached lying next to the parenting magazines. I am well aware that formula companies benefit from women who are unable to breastfeed (due to lack of support and information) or who wean prematurely. Formula companies also benefit by pediatrician's offices displaying their items throughout the office. It is our children who suffer. What I am saddened by is that I didn't see anything that supported or celebrated breastfeeding.

As a breastfeeding mother I would love to see the Corvallis Clinic have literature supporting breastfeeding, in the form of posters and brochures, displayed in the office. In an effort to support the healthy feeding of infants I believe it would be beneficial to keep the formula coupons in a drawer and give them to moms who are already exclusively formula feeding. When pediatricians' offices make formula feeding appear normal it does a great disservice to babies.

Le Leche League International supported me through the rough early days of breastfeeding. I was fortunate to find them during those trying times. A pediatrician's office would be a wonderful place to display a pamphlet from LLL. You can contact them at 541-766-0055 and they would be more than happy to aid your physician's in supporting breastfeeding mothers.

I fully understand the importance of formula, but it is not the normal or natural way to feed infants. Babies were born to be breastfed. I feel it is the duty of our babies' pediatricians to make breastfeeding appear to be the normal and natural way to nurture our babies. I am hoping that the clinic can adopt a more pro-breastfeeding philosophy in the future.

The American Academy of Family Physicians sums up nicely the main point of my letter and so I will quote their website here:

"Current attitudes concerning infant nutrition have been molded by the manufacturers of human milk substitutes who have aggressively created markets for their products. They have advertised to physicians and directly to the public in ways that are inconsistent with the International Code of Marketing for Human Milk Substitutes (see Appendix 3).115 While much of the literature about breastfeeding distributed by formula companies is factual, omissions and images can mislead mothers, reinforce misconceptions about breastfeeding, and suggest that breastfeeding mothers also need to use formula. Physicians have been used to convey this advertising and encourage brand loyalty through "free" literature and formula samples.48 Use of commercial literature and samples has been demonstrated to decrease breastfeeding rates and increase premature weaning.112"
http://www.aafp.org/x6633.xml

I look forward to hearing back from you regarding ways you may support breastfeeding parents.

Sincerely,

Lindsay Baker

 

[thirtycats]

Excellent letter...Hope they read it and fix their office.

Sadly, the cynic in me is thinking they're just going to shake their heads, roll their eyes, and say "What a fanatic."

Can anyone tell I'm not to happy with the medical community right now?

Dina

 

[Colorful~Mama]

very well written.
i hope they don't dismiss your very valid points.

 

[Max'sMama]

That is wonderful

May I have your permission to copy the basic letter and give it to my ped's office. I think that the more docs that receive letters like this, the more commonplace bf is made to them, the more likely we will encourage change (however small) within the medical community!

 

[Camellia]

yes, please use whatever part you would like!

nak

 

[~Megan~]

The Corvallis LLL was really nice the one time I went.

I wish I could go more but I babysit a little boy in the mornings and wouldn't get back in time for him mommy to get him.

 

[Janice in Canada]

here's a different tactic.

Make it short and sweet....

first paragraph - tell what you saw - formula ads

2nd parapgraph - point out the AAP statement of recommending bfing for one year, and quote the part that you mentioned above formula ads leading to premature weaning.

Quote:

Use of commercial literature and samples has been demonstrated to decrease breastfeeding rates and increase premature weaning.112"

3rd paragraph. State how this incongruity between widely accepted health recommendation (breastfeeding) and the handing out of materials which are known to undermine breastfeeding, cause you to question the motives, professionalism and competancy of this pediatric office. Such an obvious and blatant error in not promoting normal health for children, leads you to question your confidence in using the services of this office. (how can you trust other health recommendations they may make, when they are so out-of -touch with current research and current health promotion strategies, such as the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign )

4th Then you need to clearly say what you expect them to do, and what you will be doing if they don't.

Sorry this is clumsy and not eloquent but its late and I'm tired. I think we need to hit them a little harder. You don't need or want substandard care, and when offices are so cavalier about the "educational" material they allow to reach patients in their care, I think they don't deserve our business.

Janice

 

[Camellia]

Wow Janice - I think that was very eloquent and I will vertainly make some changes.

I knew seeking input here was a good idea

Thanks!

 

[Janice in Canada]

What I wrote above is using a sales tool called SPIN - situation, problem, implication, need.

You can see how I followed it in the 4 paragraphs above - describe the situation, explain why this is a problem, play out the implications of this problem if the situation continues, clearly state what you need.

Janice

 

[HoneymoonBaby]

I disagree with Janice. I'm a big fan of the "You win more flies with honey than you do with vinegar" approach. Your letter was honey . . . a short, "to-the-point" letter complete with deadlines and threats of action is pure vinegar. If I were the pediatrician, I would be much more likely to respond positively to the longer, nicer letter than to the short, aggressive letter. I could totally see a letter like Janice suggested getting tossed aside in the "fanatic" pile, but the longer letter with facts and citations to back it up would be harder to ignore.

If I sent the first, nice, long letter and got no action, then I'd feel comfortable sending a shorter, terser letter. But I don't think it's a good first course of action.

Just my $.02.

 

[Camellia]

Good point Honey. maybe i will start with the original and hope there would be no need for a more agressive one

nak

 

[Janice in Canada]

I'm okay with the suggestion to take it easier at first. I can be too confrontational - I'll accept that criticism as valid!

Ideally, if you have a relationship with your ped, the first step could/should be speaking directly to them about it, in person.

But I do think my point about saying that you are finding it hard to understand how a ped could be "supportive of breastfeeding" but then hand out formula advertisements on behalf of formula co's. I think its worth bringing to the peds attention - that it undermines his credibility, and that you feel a little less confident in his medical recommendations - are they research and evidence based, or are they influenced by formula and pharmacuetical salespersons? I mean, wouldn't you be more loyal to, and more likely to recommend others to, an office that was clearly 100% behind breastfeeding as the norm?

I do think you need to spell out some kind of implication from this behavior.

Janice

 

[Mrs Dimples]

I'm not sure which tactic I would take, I guess it would depend on the overall atmosphere at the office, and your relationship with your ped. I struggle with this issue as well. My ped's office is RIDDLED with formula ads, coupons, "information" sheets, samples, and books published by formula companies. Even the pen you sign your receipt with has "Enfamil" stamped on it!

I really like some things about my ped, some things I think could be better. but overall I think his medical advice is sound and that's why I go to him. But my DH loves him, and is very slow to question ANYTHING he says. So I find myself reluctant to bring up this issue with him because my DH is at every appt. with me and I think he would be embarrassed or would not back me up, and I don't want to start an argument with my DH right there in the waiting room, KWIM? DH is very supportive of BFing, and while he understands the importance, he is not vocal at all on the issue, or really any issue, for that matter. Your story has inspired me to try to overcome this fear and speak up, for all the other mamas in the practice! I am not swayed by such "helpful" advertising, but many others are, I know.

 

[Camellia]

I will make a few changes today and repost. I want to add a few of Janices ideas and still keep it friendly so they will read it

Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[TiredX2]

You might also considered including a schedule for local LLL meetings. That could be something they could post right away while they research other things.

Looks good. Its great that you are actually doing something

 

[JaneS]

This is a GREAT letter... and I'm sure better with your revisions based on input here.
I'm looking forward to hearing their reply!