Canada Breastfeeds News

Canadian pediatrician endorses AAP Statement

Finally the president of the Canadian Pediatrician Society (CPS) is on his feet and jumping on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ bandwagon by enthusiastically endorsing the new breastfeeding support guidelines. The new guidelines which recommend that women breastfeed for at least a year and that newborns begin nursing within one hour after birth are an improvement over previous recommendations that infants be breastfed from 6 to 12 months. Dr. John Watts,(1) the CPS president, spoke personally as he commented, “They are an enormous step forward and I wholeheartedly endorse them.” He further noted that, continuing to breastfeed longer can only be good and there are a lot of advantages, including cost. “It extends bonding between mother and baby.” He also supported the AAP recommendation for more professional support such as lactation experts and that pediatricians need to learn ways to support new breastfeeding mothers, including becoming more educated on the topic. “A lot of pediatricians are woefully ignorant about breastfeeding. There should be more emphasis on breastfeeding in undergraduate and post-graduate medical education.”

The CPS Nutrition and Newborn Committee is currently reviewing the AAP statement and is likely to give it its approval.

Thanks to all our readers who send letters, copies of letters, code violations, and for keeping us informed about what is happening in your communities.

1. Breastfeeding is best ... eh? Family Practice, February 1998 BACK

Sandra Schmirler goes for gold

Sandra Schmirler, head of Canada’s gold medal Women’s Curling Team at the Nagano Olympic Games, knows a thing or two about gold standards. Ms Schmirler, six times Saskatchewan’s Women’s Champion, three times World Champion and now gold medal winner at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games is also a mother. During the months of preparation for the big one, Sandra’s baby was right there going gold all the way.

Medical Officer of Health stands up to Nestlé

Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Doug Kittle, of Guelph, approaches public health concerns head on. Tackling not only the tobacco companies for sponsorships in his efforts to reduce smoking among youth, of late he has turned his attention to Nestlé. When he worked in Africa, Kittle personally witnessed newborns suffering illness and death because they were bottle fed. He is critical of Nestlé’s financial relationship to the University of Guelph and the attachment of Nestlé’s name to the Family and Consumer’s Studies lab. After writing to University of Guelph president, Mordechai Rozanski, to express his concerns about Nestlé’s influence at Guelph U, Nestlé, armed with two vice-presidents and a public relations employee, came calling. The Nestlé supremos armed with glossy statements of denial, claimed the direct mail, free samples and magazine advertisements were legitimate in Canada because the Code only applied to some countries! To top it off Nestlé offered to partner programs with the Health Unit and wouldn’t it be great if Guelph General could be the first Baby Friendly Hospital in Canada? Kittle gave them the boot.

Breastfeeding the price is right

As part of the Breastfeeding: Go with the flow theme, the Newfoundland and Labrador Healthy Baby Clubs produced an innovative flyer for pregnant women and new mothers asking,

Breastfeeding is FREE