Jennifer Yourkavitch comments:
"My husband, enraged, sent the following note to Isotoner Customer Service (customeraffairs@totes.com) and the CEO (awalters@northlich.com):
To Whom it May Concern:
One would think that someone with sense at your company would have done something to prevent an issue like this from even going to court, let alone the state Supreme Court. It's a nice victory in the court of law, but in the court of public opinion I think this makes Totes/Isotoner look backward, discriminatory, insensitive, and at worst hostile to infant nutrition.
A wiser course would have been to implement a policy to allow lactating women to have scheduled breaks, create a space for them to lactate in private, and generally support people who are trying to follow American Academy of Pediatrics and World Health Organization guidance for feeding children in the best possible way--the way they have been fed since humans have been having children. It is the utmost act of love for a parent to nourish their child the best they possibly can. Frankly, I think this mother will have a much happier and productive life away from the toxic atmosphere of your company.
If I were on the Totes/Isotoner Board, I would have recommended firing the manager who made this choice and compromised the brand image of the company in the press, not the lactating mother.
I am systematically divesting my home of all of your products, and will never purchase anything from your lines of products again. I am exploring canceling relationships with firms that carry your products.
Sincerely,
Robert Carty
Father, Husband
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Lawyer alert!! Isontoner fires worker for taking milk expression breaks...
The judges say that lactation has nothing to do with child bearing...
Can you imagine?
A woman was fired for taking breaks to express milk with a 5 month old baby and the judges pronounce that this is not covered as pregnancy-related.
I would like to see those judges try non-pregnancy-related breastfeeding.
(I know, I know, anyone can lactate, but really....)
My friend and colleague Mary Overfield suggests boycotting. Reasonable.
However, if we are ever going to fix the mess we are in we need the lawyers to get in on this somehow.
Ideas?
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/08/28/LACTATE.ART_ART_08-28-09_B1_8EET5UK.html?sid=101
Can you imagine?
A woman was fired for taking breaks to express milk with a 5 month old baby and the judges pronounce that this is not covered as pregnancy-related.
I would like to see those judges try non-pregnancy-related breastfeeding.
(I know, I know, anyone can lactate, but really....)
My friend and colleague Mary Overfield suggests boycotting. Reasonable.
However, if we are ever going to fix the mess we are in we need the lawyers to get in on this somehow.
Ideas?
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/08/28/LACTATE.ART_ART_08-28-09_B1_8EET5UK.html?sid=101
Friday, July 31, 2009
WABA World Breastfeeding Week and the US Breastfeeding Committee
Sitting here at the US Breastfeeding Committee, I am happy to share that, in honor of WABA's World Breastfeeding Week theme on breastfeeding and emergencies, FEMA announced that it will be modifying its approach to this issue. This reinforced for me the power of WABA's work, when translated at the national level into advocacy.
Congratulations to USBC, FEMA and WABA on this important first step.
Other exciting announcements were made by CDC representatives who are constantly pushing the envelop and call for much more and better data collection that will drive breastfeeding program improvements, and the many other civil servants in government agencies (AHRQ, HRSA MCH/B, FDA, OWH and USDA) who continue to fight for the best start on life for our children, and for those changes in programs and policies that are necessary to enable each woman to succeed in her intention to breastfeed as the only logical choice for her health and her child's health, development and welfare.
Congratulations to USBC, FEMA and WABA on this important first step.
Other exciting announcements were made by CDC representatives who are constantly pushing the envelop and call for much more and better data collection that will drive breastfeeding program improvements, and the many other civil servants in government agencies (AHRQ, HRSA MCH/B, FDA, OWH and USDA) who continue to fight for the best start on life for our children, and for those changes in programs and policies that are necessary to enable each woman to succeed in her intention to breastfeed as the only logical choice for her health and her child's health, development and welfare.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Food Poisoning Journal says mothers should be warned about E Sakazakii in powdered formula
The Food Poisoning Journal asks that all pregnant women and new mothers be warned about E Sakazakii in powdered milk, while the Examiner warns against use of most available water...
Perhaps we should work for legislation to put these in all antenatal training materials?
http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/07/articles/food-poisoning-watch/e-sakazakii-infection-from-powdered-infant-formula-know-the-risks/
http://www.examiner.com/x-10728-Twin-Cities-Water-Examiner~y2009m7d16-Is-fluoride-in-baby-nursery-water-safe-for-infant-formula-and-newborn-babies
Perhaps we should work for legislation to put these in all antenatal training materials?
http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/07/articles/food-poisoning-watch/e-sakazakii-infection-from-powdered-infant-formula-know-the-risks/
http://www.examiner.com/x-10728-Twin-Cities-Water-Examiner~y2009m7d16-Is-fluoride-in-baby-nursery-water-safe-for-infant-formula-and-newborn-babies
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Show me...
Just found this sort of feminist down under blog on breastfeeding thanks to Linda Smith.
Hemispheres unite!!
http://viv.id.au/blog/20090625.5497/gone-too-far/#respond
PS I always found a baby bottle with formula sitting around to be a bit offensive....
Hemispheres unite!!
http://viv.id.au/blog/20090625.5497/gone-too-far/#respond
PS I always found a baby bottle with formula sitting around to be a bit offensive....
Friday, June 19, 2009
When will they ever learn? Handing out formula creates mixed feeders... and highest feeding risk for HIV+ moms
Dear friends:
When will they ever learn? Handing out formula for HIV+ moms in low wealth settings is not only risky, but potentially deadly.
Botswana's government meant well when they started handing out formula, but how many crises will be necessary until they stop?
Stock outages, massive diarrheal disease, and more stock outages, and yet it continues.
Please, my friends, help spread that word that such programs breed disaster.
http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=1&aid=5&dir=2009/June/Thursday18
When will they ever learn? Handing out formula for HIV+ moms in low wealth settings is not only risky, but potentially deadly.
Botswana's government meant well when they started handing out formula, but how many crises will be necessary until they stop?
Stock outages, massive diarrheal disease, and more stock outages, and yet it continues.
Please, my friends, help spread that word that such programs breed disaster.
http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=1&aid=5&dir=2009/June/Thursday18
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Outcome of the meeting in DC...
The meeting ended Friday afternoon, with reports from each working group. According to the organizers, the papers and the outcomes will be published in a supplement to Breastfeeding Medicine.
I think it will be interesting reading.
I think it will be interesting reading.
UN meeting 'Advancing global health in the face of crisis' - only UNICEF speaks to breastfeeding as essential
With thanks to my old friends at UNICEF, in this high level forum, only UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman mentioned breastfeeding in her panel discussion on "Protecting vulnerable populations."
Notes on her presentation included the following. I added the bolds.
9.2 million children die before the age of 5 years, and that 93 per cent live in Africa and Asia. Around 3 million die in the first 28 days of life. A woman in the Niger had a 1-in-7 lifetime risk of maternal mortality, compared to Ireland, where the risk was much lower 1 in 40,000. When searching for a solution, it was important that policy-makers understood the link between maternal and newborn health. For a start, adequate nutrition for the mother was key to good health in their babies. In turn, early childhood nutrition was important, because one third of deaths in children under 5 were thought to be caused by malnutrition. Poor nutrition also made a person more likely to die of diseases such as malaria, while lack of breast-feeding contributed to 1.4 million deaths. She noted that pneumonia and diarrhoea were among the biggest killers among children –- diseases that were linked to HIV/AIDS, various tropical diseases and the flu. During a time of financial crisis, it was more important than ever to ensure that women and children, along with other vulnerable populations, had access to preventive and basic health services.
read more at: She explained that 9.2 million children died before the age of 5 years, and that 93 per cent lived in Africa and Asia. Around 3 million died in the first 28 days of life. A woman in the Niger had a 1-in-7 lifetime risk of maternal mortality, compared to Ireland, where the risk was much lower 1 in 40,000. When searching for a solution, it was important that policy-makers understood the link between maternal and newborn health. For a start, adequate nutrition for the mother was key to good health in their babies. In turn, early childhood nutrition was important, because one third of deaths in children under 5 were thought to be caused by malnutrition. Poor nutrition also made a person more likely to die of diseases such as malaria, while lack of breast-feeding contributed to 1.4 million deaths.
She noted that pneumonia and diarrhoea were among the biggest killers among children –- diseases that were linked to HIV/AIDS, various tropical diseases and the flu. During a time of financial crisis, it was more important than ever to ensure that women and children, along with other vulnerable populations, had access to preventive and basic health services.
Read more at:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/MYAI-7T33XZ?OpenDocument
Notes on her presentation included the following. I added the bolds.
9.2 million children die before the age of 5 years, and that 93 per cent live in Africa and Asia. Around 3 million die in the first 28 days of life. A woman in the Niger had a 1-in-7 lifetime risk of maternal mortality, compared to Ireland, where the risk was much lower 1 in 40,000. When searching for a solution, it was important that policy-makers understood the link between maternal and newborn health. For a start, adequate nutrition for the mother was key to good health in their babies. In turn, early childhood nutrition was important, because one third of deaths in children under 5 were thought to be caused by malnutrition. Poor nutrition also made a person more likely to die of diseases such as malaria, while lack of breast-feeding contributed to 1.4 million deaths. She noted that pneumonia and diarrhoea were among the biggest killers among children –- diseases that were linked to HIV/AIDS, various tropical diseases and the flu. During a time of financial crisis, it was more important than ever to ensure that women and children, along with other vulnerable populations, had access to preventive and basic health services.
read more at: She explained that 9.2 million children died before the age of 5 years, and that 93 per cent lived in Africa and Asia. Around 3 million died in the first 28 days of life. A woman in the Niger had a 1-in-7 lifetime risk of maternal mortality, compared to Ireland, where the risk was much lower 1 in 40,000. When searching for a solution, it was important that policy-makers understood the link between maternal and newborn health. For a start, adequate nutrition for the mother was key to good health in their babies. In turn, early childhood nutrition was important, because one third of deaths in children under 5 were thought to be caused by malnutrition. Poor nutrition also made a person more likely to die of diseases such as malaria, while lack of breast-feeding contributed to 1.4 million deaths.
She noted that pneumonia and diarrhoea were among the biggest killers among children –- diseases that were linked to HIV/AIDS, various tropical diseases and the flu. During a time of financial crisis, it was more important than ever to ensure that women and children, along with other vulnerable populations, had access to preventive and basic health services.
Read more at:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/MYAI-7T33XZ?OpenDocument
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Meeting continues
I am happy to report that our group - Workplace - was innovative and creative in developing issues. Tomorrow we will do the hard work: develop the action plan!
Wish us luck!
M
Wish us luck!
M
Sitting at a meeting in DC...What will we need to do provoke action?
Recently I have had the opportunity to attend several meetings that MAY have a real impact on the future of breastfeeding...a bit of deja vu...and a bit of hope.
Back in the 1990s following the Innocenti Declaration, there was a spate of activity in an ill-fated effort to implement the four operational targets: a national multisectoral committee and authority; Ten Step in hospitals; Code of Marketing, and; maternity protection laws. The US promised to implement all by 1995...dot, dot, dot...
BUT some good things did arise from that era: the USBC - a collaboration of health organizations with interest in the issue; the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine to engage physicians in education on breastfeeding; more hospitals practicing more of the Ten Steps, and the family leave act, so that women cannot be fired for taking some leave. Yes this is progress, but miles to go.
A few weeks ago, I was invited to speak at 2 starkly contrasting USG meetings: one entitled A Call for Action on Breastfeeding, the other - Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use - my role, the focus on contraceptive use during breastfeeding. The Call for Action, with several of our federal supporters hosting, was full of creative and innovative ideas and ways to increase action on bresatfeeding. I left that one totally enthused and having faith in our breastfeeding-supportive Feds!!!
The second did not go quite like that...although the report is not out, Dr Bob Hatcher went ahead and announce "any contraceptive can be used from birth" or some such, in the OB/Gyn News. It is very interesting what emerges when the audience members have a pre-existing agenda.
So what do we do to get a true representation of leadership so that we can really achieve change?
Today I am sitting in a meeting called by Ruth Lawrence and Cindy Howard in the name of their journal,Breastfeeding Medicine, sponsored by Kellogg, and self-named "First Annual Summit" on breastfeeding. No organizations or professional groups were invited, so USBC is not here, APHA is not here, among others. So far, we have heard at least 12 speakers, with no time for questions and no program insights. That is not to say that the speakers have not been interesting - they have been quite good: Larry Grummer-Strawn and David Meyers represented their agencies well - intelligent, informative, and insightful. Yay! the other speakers covered a variety of issues - what WIC does, how to lobby, cultural considerations, growth, media. All were good speakers and most quite informative. I am not clear what new will emerge from this handpicked group, but I look forward to the working groups to see what 45 physicians, 12 PhDs, and 13 sundry others (not an LC in sight) will have to say about the nuts and bolts of workplace, public education, healthcare systems and support services - also professional education -and how to create program change nationwide. Well, about 25 of us actally have some real program development roles, so perhaps we can help. We are going to the workgroups now...All remains to be revealed! Here's looking for the best.
Will write more tomorrow!
Back in the 1990s following the Innocenti Declaration, there was a spate of activity in an ill-fated effort to implement the four operational targets: a national multisectoral committee and authority; Ten Step in hospitals; Code of Marketing, and; maternity protection laws. The US promised to implement all by 1995...dot, dot, dot...
BUT some good things did arise from that era: the USBC - a collaboration of health organizations with interest in the issue; the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine to engage physicians in education on breastfeeding; more hospitals practicing more of the Ten Steps, and the family leave act, so that women cannot be fired for taking some leave. Yes this is progress, but miles to go.
A few weeks ago, I was invited to speak at 2 starkly contrasting USG meetings: one entitled A Call for Action on Breastfeeding, the other - Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use - my role, the focus on contraceptive use during breastfeeding. The Call for Action, with several of our federal supporters hosting, was full of creative and innovative ideas and ways to increase action on bresatfeeding. I left that one totally enthused and having faith in our breastfeeding-supportive Feds!!!
The second did not go quite like that...although the report is not out, Dr Bob Hatcher went ahead and announce "any contraceptive can be used from birth" or some such, in the OB/Gyn News. It is very interesting what emerges when the audience members have a pre-existing agenda.
So what do we do to get a true representation of leadership so that we can really achieve change?
Today I am sitting in a meeting called by Ruth Lawrence and Cindy Howard in the name of their journal,Breastfeeding Medicine, sponsored by Kellogg, and self-named "First Annual Summit" on breastfeeding. No organizations or professional groups were invited, so USBC is not here, APHA is not here, among others. So far, we have heard at least 12 speakers, with no time for questions and no program insights. That is not to say that the speakers have not been interesting - they have been quite good: Larry Grummer-Strawn and David Meyers represented their agencies well - intelligent, informative, and insightful. Yay! the other speakers covered a variety of issues - what WIC does, how to lobby, cultural considerations, growth, media. All were good speakers and most quite informative. I am not clear what new will emerge from this handpicked group, but I look forward to the working groups to see what 45 physicians, 12 PhDs, and 13 sundry others (not an LC in sight) will have to say about the nuts and bolts of workplace, public education, healthcare systems and support services - also professional education -and how to create program change nationwide. Well, about 25 of us actally have some real program development roles, so perhaps we can help. We are going to the workgroups now...All remains to be revealed! Here's looking for the best.
Will write more tomorrow!
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