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Breastfeeding Is Normal presents: A Breastfeeding Advocacy Chat #11
8/31/05

14 mamas in attendance

11:06:32 Host_Housepoet Hello and welcome to another exciting edition of the Breastfeedingisnormal.org chat on advocacy. I’m your hostess with the mostess, Noel Pickett, infamously known as the housepoet on livejournal. My co host partner in crime is the lovely Arianamama, who is sweet and charming. If you have any questions, please double click on her name and that will open a small private window for you to chat with her in.
11:06:53 Host_Housepoet Agenda | Welcome | Recap of last chat | Mission statement | The View Sucks  | FTC | State Flyers | BF 101 Chat | banner exchange | We still need help!
11:07:03 Host_Housepoet Recap of last chat  LAST FORMAL CHAT http://mommychats.com/transcripts/bfactivism10.htm
11:07:12 Host_Housepoet Mission Statement
11:07:18 Host_Housepoet Breastfeedingisnormal.org is committed to making a positive difference in the perception of breastfeeding, to making the practice of breastfeeding normal" again in our society, and to replacing the onslaught of infant formula found in today's media with breastfeeding education and resources.  Through political advocacy, Breastfeedingisnormal.org promotes governmental support and protection of breastfeeding mothers and their children.  Through education and support, Breastfeedingisnormal.org promotes healthy alternatives to formula use, encourages new mothers to begin and continue breastfeeding, gives mothers the confidence to nurse their children in public, and gives society the understanding that breastfeeding is normal."
11:07:59 Host_Housepoet OK!
11:08:03 Host_Housepoet Hey everyone. :)
11:08:09 Host_Housepoet I hope everyone is having a fine morning.
11:08:19 Host_Housepoet In case you missed it...the View is at it again
11:08:29 Host_Housepoet http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=335251&page=1&pp=20
11:08:47 Host_Housepoet Apparently on a show this week, they gave a nursing mom of quads, a years supply of formula!
11:08:51 Host_Housepoet horray!
11:08:59 Host_Housepoet sarcasm
11:09:14 Host_Housepoet thoughts? words?
11:09:34 Darcy I think if I had 4 kids I'd rather have a free laundry service.
11:09:35 Host_Housepoet there are no plans for a nurse out there again, but it just really goes to show you the kind of scociety we're living in doesn't it?
11:09:41 Host_Housepoet I agree
11:09:53 Chandar From my understanding they also gave a mom of a single baby the same thing.
11:09:57 Host_Housepoet someone rightfully quipped that she could sell the formula on ebay and buy cloth diapers
11:10:07 Host_Housepoet well now, isn't that just lovely.
11:10:25 Host_Housepoet I unfor...fortunetly....?? don't have a TV so I didn't get to see the show
11:10:41 kbayfeld Hi, new at chatting, but wanted to try it out-I'm from Phoenix and part of AZ Lactivists group
11:10:51 Chandar BTW I am Chandra, Chandar from Mothering, and am in AZ franticaly working with other wonderful women on the legislative front.
11:10:54 Host_Housepoet Imagine if the View used their celebrity to ask mothers to come to a milk bank and donate milk.
11:10:59 Host_Housepoet wouldn't that have been great
11:11:03 Host_Housepoet Hello and welcome!
11:11:25 Host_Housepoet Kbay - did you get the email to the list?
11:11:31 Host_Housepoet about the chat today?
11:11:38 kbayfeld yes
11:11:50 Host_Housepoet awesome
11:11:50 kbayfeld Hey, Chandra-it's Karen
11:11:55 Host_Housepoet I wonder why I haven't gotten it yet
11:11:58 Chandar Hi Karen!
11:12:08 Host_Housepoet well chan, I really wanted you to talk about what is going on in AZ
11:12:19 Host_Housepoet but I want to wait until we have a few more chatters in here
11:12:28 Chandar Karen can talk a lot about it as well.
11:12:32 Host_Housepoet last week, we picked up around the half way mark
11:12:38 Host_Housepoet well then by all means
11:12:41 Host_Housepoet I'm glad you're both in here
11:12:55 Host_Housepoet I'll jus continue on with my agenda until I feel there is enough people
11:12:59 Host_Housepoet ok, so what's next here
11:13:02 Chandar We have had 2 meetings with different state legislators, and have received some truly helpful feedback
11:13:02 kbayfeld sounds good
11:13:15 Host_Housepoet that's amazing.
11:13:38 Host_Housepoet Are you all keeping track of what you are doing...so that other states, and advocates can copy your work?
11:13:51 Host_Housepoet Like a step by step plan to get laws inacted?
11:14:17 Mod_ariana It would be so awesome to have a guide to getting a state law for breastfeeding on the breastfeedingisnormal.org site!
11:14:18 Host_Housepoet step one: have your rights violated | step two: let the internet know about it | step three: ....
11:14:27 Host_Housepoet that's what I'm thinking too
11:14:28 Mod_ariana haha
11:14:45 Mod_ariana But then the real work comes in, getting the legislators on board
11:14:59 Host_Housepoet so very true
11:15:10 Mod_ariana I think it would be great to work with carolyn maloney or someon from her office on a guide like that
11:15:15 Mod_ariana I bet she'd be willing to be helpful
11:15:21 Chandar sorry ladies dd is not cooperating very well right now
11:15:41 Host_Housepoet hey it happens
11:15:49 Host_Housepoet alright, we're going to move on
11:15:52 Mod_ariana Chandar that's the problem with mommy activism, huh?
11:16:03 Host_Housepoet Ariana is going to talk about the FTC complaint letters
11:16:30 Mod_ariana I recently received an email from the Breastfeeding Task Force for Los Angeles http://www.breastfeedingtaskforla.org/
11:16:41 Mod_ariana (great organization by the way, here in California!)
11:16:53 Mod_ariana It fits in so perfectly with the goals of http://breastfeedingisnormal.org/ that I thought I’d pass it along to you.
11:17:06 Mod_ariana Artificial Infant Milk Complaint Letter Writing Campaign
11:17:19 Mod_ariana Only when hundreds of complaints are filed, either on line, by letter, or by telephone will the FTC take a look at the issue. If we want to make a difference we can inundate the FTC with complaints regarding formula advertising.
11:18:04 Mod_ariana The idea is for us lactivists to make complaints to the Federal Trade Commission regarding the marketing of formula
11:18:18 Mod_ariana The Federal Trade Commission complaint form can be found at   https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01
11:18:48 Host_Housepoet NOTE: we will also have all this information on the http://breastfeedingisnormal.org site later today
11:18:52 Mod_ariana Some of the suggested talking points for complaint on this are:
11:19:21 Mod_ariana Ads are misleading mothers into purchasing formula because   * They think their baby will be smarter.
11:19:23 Mod_ariana * They think formula is equivalent to breastmilk.     * They think formula has breastmilk in it.
11:19:35 Mod_ariana * There is no warning label on the formula that states the risks of   not breastfeeding.     * There is no warning label on the powdered formula that it is not   sterile, so parents think it is safe.
11:20:04 Mod_ariana I think the un-sterile powdered formula one is very important
11:20:26 Chandar oh yeah
11:20:26 Mod_ariana the AAP has come out saying it should not be given to at risk infants unless there is no other alternative
11:20:29 Mod_ariana so that's a huge thing
11:20:44 Mod_ariana So we're working up a page for http://breastfeedingisnormal.org/
11:20:59 Mod_ariana so that people can go there and get the link to the form and ideas on what to say
11:21:06 Hisrisingstar I have a question, as part of thw WHO code, it says they cant advertise formula, but I see it advertised all the time, how do they get around it?
11:21:14 Mod_ariana if anyone else has ideas of things that could be complained about please feel free to speak out now
11:21:24 Mod_ariana or you can always email us at info@breastfeedingisnormal.org
11:21:33 Hisrisingstar and I wrote an article on the WHO code for the site, and still dont see it up there... was it that horrible?
11:21:40 Mod_ariana No.
11:21:47 Mod_ariana We just haven't had a chance to get it up yet
11:21:53 Host_Housepoet The reason that they advertise is that there isn't anyone in the govt to enforce the code
11:22:00 Host_Housepoet the code is just a 'suggestion' for the US
11:22:01 Mod_ariana The thing with the WHO Code is that it isn't a LAW
11:22:07 Host_Housepoet sadly
11:22:13 Mod_ariana it's a guideline from the Unirted Nations
11:22:18 Mod_ariana World Health Organization
11:23:35 Host_Housepoet so the only way for people to take notice is for someone to be elected or appointed to the govt to enforce the who code
11:23:41 Host_Housepoet that's why it's called a CODE not a law.
11:23:54 Host_Housepoet and until that happens, we will continue to see formula advertising
11:24:02 Host_Housepoet so that is one of the goals of BFIN
11:24:17 Host_Housepoet is to eventually get someone appointed to the govt to enforce the code
11:24:22 jennebee no one in office is going to enforce the code unless they have something to gain from it :( (Hi Noel!)
11:24:25 Host_Housepoet but we're going up against our own govt on this one
11:24:29 Host_Housepoet hi! :)
11:24:35 Host_Housepoet exactly
11:24:47 Host_Housepoet and the formula industry has plenty to lose if the govt enforces the code
11:25:04 Host_Housepoet like $600 million bucks from our own govt every year for formula purchases for the WIC program
11:25:13 jennebee we need some lactavists with big money!
11:25:33 serendipitylove One of us just needs to win the lottery
11:25:36 Host_Housepoet which sends a clear message to women that our govt supports formula more than health
11:25:40 Host_Housepoet I KNOW
11:25:43 Host_Housepoet can you imagine?
11:25:56 serendipitylove If I do, I'm totally calling you up Noel.
11:25:58 Darcy There's a follow the dollar signs" problem here - what we need is a creative presentation of the information that makes govt look away from the disadvantage that pro-breastfeeding campaigning puts formula makers at."
11:26:00 Host_Housepoet man I would take out a front page ad in every news paper in the us
11:26:49 jennebee wouldn't that be AMAZING!!!
11:26:51 serendipitylove I just find it sad that it takes so much money in order to promote breastfeeding
11:26:54 Host_Housepoet it really wouuld
11:27:01 Host_Housepoet and darcy we agree with that you're saying as well
11:27:33