Wednesday, April 25, 2012

An update to the Pfizer - Nestle deal

The Pfizer-Nestle deal that I described on Sunday night has gone through. Nestle now has access to the 60 percent market share of Chinese babies who are not breastfed. The issue with this is that it is known that Nestle has ruthless tactics to prevent and undermine a mother's natural instinct and body. They have been known to dress up their SALES people in nurse's uniforms and introduce formula to women. Nestle will then give a twoish week supply of formula to the mom, and be on their way. Guess what... the "nurse" must  be right, formula is the way to go, right? Wrong. That two week supply will surely be enough time to pretty much dry up a woman's milk. Then what? They must go and buy formula. That mother may be in an area without access to clean water... Then what? Not only do we know that not breastfeeding increases risk to disease, but now we have babies being exposed to potential water-born illness. Then, mom can't even breastfeed baby through diarrhea... and guess what. Babies die. This is not the way to assist China in a (potential) population crisis.

Women do not need someone to tell them they're wrong for not breastfeeding. They need to be supported so that they can breastfeed successfully. Pregnant and new moms need multi-national corporations to follow the World Health Code for Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. Nestle is the worst of the worst and now... Chinese (and other) babies will suffer because of it.

What can we do? Support women! Bring them up! Help them find solutions and remind them that babies need and want mommy time! Dads can help with things OTHER than feeding and can bond in many different ways (including diaper changes! ha!)

Remind  people that breastmilk is the best baby food out there... not the chemical concoctions that Nestle and other companies market as alternatives.

The first alternative to breastfeeding is actually another woman's breastmilk, NOT formula! There are risks associated with formula use, but it isn't the end of the world, BUT women need support not Nestle taking over the world.

Did you read all that? Check for a post related to the cheapest way to cloth diaper without doing EC

1 comment:

Meleakua said...

so sad!! :( it's really crazy that as a society we're willing to feed our children who knows what, but the thought of a 'wet nurse' is not accepted. i hope that with increased awareness that will shift.. and soon!!