The miracle food for life - mother's milk 
(republishing, copying, no restrictions)
By: Father Shay Cullen
Can you believe that 1.5 million children die every year because of corporate greed and misinformation about breast feeding? The relentless marketing of baby formula powdered milk and the promotion of bottle feeding of babies is the cause of so many deaths.
In the Philippines alone, an estimated 16,000 children under five die every year because they are not breast-fed according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Even more shocking is the fact that babies bottle-fed on formula are 7 to 25 times more likely to die from diarrhea than a child breast-fed by its mother. They are also 5 to 50 times more likely to get Pneumonia according to the WHO (www.babyreference.com)
Nothing can replace mother's milk
in establishing a strong immune system in a child. That is essential if
the child is to grow endure and overcome viruses and infectious
diseases. The greatest gift that a mother can give to her child is not
that of life alone but a sustainable and healthy life. Many parents
especially in developing nations are misinformed, they don't know how
healthy breast-feeding is and dangerous any substitute.
Breast feeding is what helps establish a true loving mother. It is
nature’s miracle food that is cheap, sterile and gives the essential
nutrients that the child needs to survive, grow intelligent and strong.
Prolonged breast feeding up to two years, research has shown, develops a
close bond between mother and child that endures into adulthood and
extends to all women. Prolonged breast-fed boys have a deep and profound
respect for women and they rarely sexually abuse or rape a girl or woman
as a result.
Clinical tests have proven that breast feeding is vastly superior to any another kind. Why then is bottle feeding with baby formula still promoted by the food corporations peddling their powdered milk to mothers when it can do more harm than good? The answer as usual is profit. One marketing tactic was to offer gifts and monetary incentives to maternity nurses in rural clinics all over the world to persuade mothers to put their babies on milk formula. Thousands of babies died as a result.
As much as 20 percent to 50 percent of poor families’ income in the Philippines and other countries goes to pay for the formula. The other children have to go without at times. When they cant afford it any longer a desperate mother will dilute the formula, sometimes with contaminated water, and the child dies.
Big corporations like Nestle, which is still subject of a boycott in many countries by pro-breast feeding advocacy groups sell bottled water to answer this criticism of formula. But providing bottled encourages the use of formula it all the more. The World Health Organization brought out a code to control the irresponsible marketing tactics. Nestle claims it has the best record in implementing the code. Recently it was discovered to be paying fat fees to labeling organizations to get their “Partners brand” coffee certified as Fair Trade coffee and by implication themselves certified as Fair Traders. But they don't have Fair Trade formula.
So let’s protect children by watching out for violations of these important WHO norms:
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The public advertising of alternatives to breast milk is banned including bottles and nipples especially in health care clinics.
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It is forbidden to give free samples of formula to mothers with a new born child. Nurses paid by companies making formula are forbidden to attend and advise new mothers. They could loose their license.
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Giving formula samples or gifts to health care workers is a violation of the code. They can only be given true scientific information on what is in best interest of the child.
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Glorifying formula feeding using baby pictures on product labeling is banned. The product should have labels showing the dangers and costs of formula feeding.
Breastfeeding should be the most normal and natural thing to do. An attitude that wants to ban breast-feeding in public must be challenged. In the Philippine villages where I ministered for some years, breast-feeding in church was an acceptable and normal custom. It kept the babies quite and content and the community celebration was more natural, joyful and meaningful. In Manila a big mall has opened a special breast feeding room for mothers of new-born. This is what we need, more breast feeding and strict implementation of the code. [End]
