Nestle and the Destruction of Breastfeeding
12:13 AM Posted In breastfeeding , formula , Nestle Edit This 0 Comments »
We are designed to feed our babies breastmilk. This wondrous fluid changes at every feeding, giving our babies what they need most at that moment. It gives them immunities to help fight off disease. It sustains their life.
Then came artificial baby milk. As the doctors began to take over childbirth, so they imagined that they should take over baby feeding. Many came up with their own recipes that they sold to their newly delivered patients. It was modern... it had to be good. Right?
Companies like Nestle began their own production of artificial milk. They would buy cow's milk, spend a lot of money to powder it, and mix it with other ingredients and sell it to mothers. First, however, they began partnerships with the doctors. Doctors would get money, gifts and more if they pushed formula on new mothers. Sweet deal, huh? Besides, who needs that nasty old breastmilk? It was so yesterday.
As time went on, this happened over and over again in every country in the world. Never mind that more babies died. Never mind that women's confidence in their own abilities and in their bodies plummeted. We don't want those uppity women to feel they have any power, do we?
Nestle set up salespeople in underprivileged countries dressed as nurses to distribute their milks. Never mind that the labels were not printed in a language these mothers could understand... even if some of them could read. Women were already oppressed, why shouldn't we get the babies on formula, let mom's milk dry up, and then they have to spend almost their entire month's pay just to buy more. We win, right?
That's what Nestle thinks. When the World Health Organization got together with a lot of the bigwigs all over the world to discuss the problems of these dying babies, they came up with a code of ethics regarding the marketing of baby formula. No free samples were to be given, no advertising was to be done. Everyone agreed.
Well, Nestle and the other formula companies didn't practice what they promised. They kept up their advertising and freebies, while trying to look like they were following the code. They didn't want to lose a penny of profit. Who cares about dead babies? Their babies weren't dying. There were no faces for Nestle. Only dollar signs.
Today, we are still fighting Nestle. While breastfeeding rates have picked up, many women don't have any confidence in breastfeeding any longer. They think they can't make enough milk; they think it is sexual to breastfeed; they don't get the support to learn how to do this properly. The formula companies did a terrific job. They convinced generations of women that breastfeeding was useless and that they couldn't do it anyway.
This is what we're up against. Breastmilk is still the best food for babies. It helps prevent diabetes, cancer, obesity and many other afflictions that are at epidemic proportions today. Hmmm. Maybe because few adults today were breastfed as babies. Our mothers were sold a bill of goods and didn't know how good breastfeeding was for us.
So promote breastfeeding. It is wholesome in every way. It provides optimum nutrition, even when mom isn't getting the best nutrition for herself. If you see a woman breastfeeding in public, let her feed her baby in peace. We deserve to feed our babies whenever they are hungry, no matter where we are. This is our babies' right. Every baby deserves the best.
Then came artificial baby milk. As the doctors began to take over childbirth, so they imagined that they should take over baby feeding. Many came up with their own recipes that they sold to their newly delivered patients. It was modern... it had to be good. Right?
Companies like Nestle began their own production of artificial milk. They would buy cow's milk, spend a lot of money to powder it, and mix it with other ingredients and sell it to mothers. First, however, they began partnerships with the doctors. Doctors would get money, gifts and more if they pushed formula on new mothers. Sweet deal, huh? Besides, who needs that nasty old breastmilk? It was so yesterday.
As time went on, this happened over and over again in every country in the world. Never mind that more babies died. Never mind that women's confidence in their own abilities and in their bodies plummeted. We don't want those uppity women to feel they have any power, do we?
Nestle set up salespeople in underprivileged countries dressed as nurses to distribute their milks. Never mind that the labels were not printed in a language these mothers could understand... even if some of them could read. Women were already oppressed, why shouldn't we get the babies on formula, let mom's milk dry up, and then they have to spend almost their entire month's pay just to buy more. We win, right?
That's what Nestle thinks. When the World Health Organization got together with a lot of the bigwigs all over the world to discuss the problems of these dying babies, they came up with a code of ethics regarding the marketing of baby formula. No free samples were to be given, no advertising was to be done. Everyone agreed.
Well, Nestle and the other formula companies didn't practice what they promised. They kept up their advertising and freebies, while trying to look like they were following the code. They didn't want to lose a penny of profit. Who cares about dead babies? Their babies weren't dying. There were no faces for Nestle. Only dollar signs.
Today, we are still fighting Nestle. While breastfeeding rates have picked up, many women don't have any confidence in breastfeeding any longer. They think they can't make enough milk; they think it is sexual to breastfeed; they don't get the support to learn how to do this properly. The formula companies did a terrific job. They convinced generations of women that breastfeeding was useless and that they couldn't do it anyway.
This is what we're up against. Breastmilk is still the best food for babies. It helps prevent diabetes, cancer, obesity and many other afflictions that are at epidemic proportions today. Hmmm. Maybe because few adults today were breastfed as babies. Our mothers were sold a bill of goods and didn't know how good breastfeeding was for us.
So promote breastfeeding. It is wholesome in every way. It provides optimum nutrition, even when mom isn't getting the best nutrition for herself. If you see a woman breastfeeding in public, let her feed her baby in peace. We deserve to feed our babies whenever they are hungry, no matter where we are. This is our babies' right. Every baby deserves the best.
0 comments:
Post a Comment