Human Milk for Babies in Need
Calgary Mothers’ Milk Bank opens
The first milk bank to open in Canada in 33 years and Canada’s first community-based milk bank is open for business. The Calgary Mothers’ Milk Bank is a not-for-profit organization that provides screened and pasteurized donor human milk to babies in need when their mother’s own milk is not available.
Human milk provides optimal nutrition, promotes normal growth and development, and reduces the risk of illness and disease.
Website.
Facebook page.
Urgent Action Needed
Your Comment On The Health Canada Proposed Policy Statement On Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants Is Needed
The standard guide for infant feeding for all Canadian health professionals is under review. Until April 15, 2012 Health Canada is inviting comments to shape Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants - Recommendations from Birth to Six Months.
We urge all those who are interested in achieving the best possible policy statement to submit your comment to Health Canada. INFACT Canada has prepared a comment to correct a number of areas of concern. Submit INFACT’s comment or your own to improve the policy statement.
Learn more.
Read INFACT’s comment.
June 3 - 5, 2012 • Laval, Quebec
AQC Grand Conference 2012:
Practice based on science
The Quebec Association of Lactation Consultants/Association Québécoise des Consultantes en lactation (AQC) is proud to present its 2012 Conference at the Sheraton Laval Hotel in Quebec. This year’s conference will feature nine sessions over three days presented by Kittie Frantz, RN, CPNP-PC, Karen Kedrowski, Ph.D, and Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA.
Sessions are in English. Some French translation is available.
Visit the Conference website (French).
Download the Conference brochure [PDF].
Learn about sessions, learn about speakers.
Register for the Conference (French). Anglophiles needing help with registration may contact the AQC at 514-990-0262 or info@ibclc.qc.ca.
Sign the Petition
Stop Nestlé’s sponsorship with the City of Newark
Nestlé, the world’s largest infant formula manufacturer and distributer, is planning to partner with the city of Newark, New Jersey in a nutrition education program to target childhood obesity. Nestlé, whose infant formula and baby foods are known to contribute to increased illness and long-term diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancers has shown nothing but disdain for the marketing rules for those products.
Please sign the petition and STOP the Nestlé Sponsorship!
Read more.
Sign the petition. Petition site is having intermittent server problems; if you can’t connect, please try again later.
Urgent Action
No honour for Nestlé!
INFACT Canada is deeply concerned that the University of Alberta is planning to award Mr. Peter Brabeck-Latmathlé, the Chairman of Nestlé (pictured), an honorary degree.
Protests are coming on from all over the world. Nestlé has been designated as the “Least Ethical Company” globally and is infamous for practices including the destruction of water resources and aggressive marketing of infant formula.
Please send a message to the University of Alberta. Use the links in the full article or the Council of Canadians’ online form.
Read the full article.
Use the Council of Canadians’ online form.
Submit your photos
World Breastfeeding Week 2012 Photography Contest
Feature your breastfeeding photos in this year’s WABA Action Folder! Ten winning photos will be selected and featured in the WBW Action Folders, Posters and Banners. Winners will receive US$100 for each published photo.
Understanding on the issue would help you take a great picture! Please read the WBW 2012 Calendar Announcement at www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org for more information.
Read the Calendar Announcement.
Download the Contest Form [MS Word].
Abbott Nutrition Webcast
Formula Promotion Webcast Targets Canadian Health Care Providers
A cross-Canada webcast, Wednesday, presented by doctors and scientists, will promote Abbott’s infant formula, focusing on two of its marketing gimmicks, prebiotics and lutein.
Read INFACT’s press release.
Read Abbott’s webcast information [PDF].
2011 Codex Nutrition Meeting
The Business of Malnutrition: Breaking Down Trade Rules to Profit from the Poor
Guidelines for a new range of products for babies ‘at risk’ of malnutrition was the topic of debate at the annual meeting of Codex, the UN body that sets food standards.
Developing countries and health campaigners fearing the products would undermine breastfeeding and increase family poverty, called for several resolutions in the guidelines.
IBFAN is concerned that the new ‘business of malnutrition’ that these products are spearheading—while raking up multi-billion dollar profits—will harm infant and young child health and drain family budgets.
Read full press release.
Read full press release [PDF].
Read related article in the Guardian:
Alarm as corporate giants target developing countries.
New in Resources
2012 IBFAN Calendar
The latest IBFAN calendar as always features twelve beautiful breastfeeding photographs from around the world and is a wonderful visual representation of the global breastfeeding community.
Available in our resource centre for $20.
Facts and dates are given in English, Dutch, German and French. View the interior pages at Baby Milk Action.
Order online in our resource centre.
Health Campaigners:
Health Inequalities Declaration Betrays Promise to ‘Close the Gap in a Generation’
The Rio Declaration issued by the WHO World Conference on Social Determinants of Health in Rio de Janeiro on Friday (21 October) is a big disappointment to health campaigners.
Campaigners gathered to call on assembled international government representatives to counter “the toxic combination of poor social policies, unfair economic arrangements and bad politics that results in the unequal distribution of health-damaging experiences.”
Read full press release.
Private Sector Must Not Compromise Health Policy
Conflicts of Interest Coalition Statement Calls on UN to Develop Code of Conduct
A statement from Conflicts of Interest Coalition, endorsed by 145 national, regional and international organizations, calls for the development of a Code of Conduct in public policy decision-making to safeguard against conflicts of interest. This will protect optimal nutrition, breastfeeding and complementary feeding from commercial marketing pressures, sponsorships and industry funded research. The overall aim is to reduce the risks of non-communicable diseases: obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancers.
View the Statement of Concern [PDF].
New DVD from Baby Milk Action
Watch Online Clips from New DVD “Infant Formula Explained”
A new film aims to equip health workers with the information they need to answer questions like, “Which formula is the best?” and “How do I make a bottle?”
Watch the clips.
Baby Milk Action Online Video
Formula Marketing Violations Presented at Press Conference
A summary of the report, Breaking the Rules, Stretching the Rules 2011, was presented to journalists at the Geneva Press Club on May 12 prior to the 2011 World Health Assembly, resulting in international media coverage. A video excerpt from the conference is available online.
Watch the video.
New Online Resource
WHA Resolutions Relevant to the Code
You can now peruse summaries of the 16 World Health Assembly resolutions relevant to the International Code on a new INFACT Canada web page.
The WHA Resolutions page.
2011 Theme: “Talk to Me!”
World Breastfeeding Week 2011
This year World Breastfeeding Week focuses on engaging and mobilising youth intergenerational work. Our theme: “Talk to me! Breastfeeding - a 3D Experience,” deals with communication at various levels and between various sectors.
What do we want to accomplish this year?
- Encourage communities and health facilities to use new media technology to reach larger numbers of people with breastfeeding information and alert them about the conflicts of interest that may arise when entities which profit from selling or distributing products under the scope of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (Code) promote breastfeeding.
- Broaden the scope of breastfeeding advocacy to involve traditionally less interested parties (i.e. youth, men, family planning advocates).
- Develop and scale-up communication skills education in breastfeeding and health trainings and look for active participation from young people.
- Through networking, create and increase communication channels between different sectors so breastfeeding information and feedback can be accessed and enhanced.
- Encourage mentorship by breastfeeding experts for new advocates, and by experienced communicators for those newly entering the communication era, regardless of their age.
- Creatively explore, support, recognise, and implement innovative communications approaches and provide a space for people to develop their ideas.
Read More on the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) website.
2010 Edition Now Available
Breaking the Rules, Stretching the Rules
See how, in this massive 208-page report, 22 companies BREAK the International Code of Marketing of Substitutes. Unlike industry funded analyses, Breaking the Rules, Stretching the Rules 2010 looks at real labels and promotion – not just what companies say they do.
Order online in our resource centre.
INFACT Canada Responds
Mother’s milk and safe milk sharing: Health Canada’s advisory lacks scientific basis
The recent media focus on the mothers’ movement Eats on Feets has resulted in a Health Canada advisory warning mothers against the use of another mother’s milk unless it comes from a donor milk bank.
Read INFACT’s statement.
Resource Centre launched
WBW 2010 Online Resource Centre
INFACT Canada proudly announces the launch of our World Breastfeeding Week 2010 Resource Centre. Instead of publishing INFACT’s famous WBW Action Kit, this year our WBW resources—including fact sheets, mini posters, and informational pamphlets related to the WBW 2010 theme—are being published online. Resources are available for downloading, printing and sharing. Users may donate online to support the project.
Visit:
infactsecure.com/wbwresources
Code Essentials Booklets
Code Essentials Booklets 1, 2 and 3 give breastfeeding advocates the essentials about the need to regulate the marketing of baby foods (including formula), feeding bottles and teats.
Order online in our resource centre.
New Breastfeeding DVD
 Humans are the only mammal to feed their young the milk of another species. Breastfeeding - Making the Connection explores why parents choose formula over breast milk and how the implementation of Baby-Friendly practices can reverse this trend. If you’re interested in the future of our health care systems and the wellbeing of generations to come, this film is a must-see.
Order online in our resource centre.
Sign the petition! Help us get 100,000 signatures to present to Prime Minister Harper.
Join INFACT Canada and INFACT Quebec and sign on to the “protect breastfeeding petition” at http://protectbreastfeedingpetition.ca/. You can make a difference for mothers and children, sign the petition, share the petition and join us for a better world for all of us.
Join our Mailing List
Visit our Resources section where you can:
Browse our resource centre for
our popular breastfeeding educational and promotional items.
Choose from our beautiful posters, eye-catching t-shirts, informative
books and more.
Check out the online edition of INFACT Canada’s
newsletter for national and
international breastfeeding news. We have both current and
archived editions to ensure you’ll stay abreast of the issues.
Choose from dozens of educational fact
sheets covering a wide variety of breastfeeding topics,
including the International Code, the Importance of breastfeeding, and
the Nestle Boycott.
Be an active member of Canada’s breastfeeding community by visiting our
bulletin board, where you can
read notices of upcoming breastfeeding events or post your own.
Find out how to register for the
Breastfeeding
Conference held every year which
includes exhibits and speakers from across the country.
Find out how to attend or host The INFACT Canada 20-Hour Breastfeeding Course.
The course provides those working with mothers with the information they
need to support and facilitate breastfeeding. We put on many
courses every year, and could be coming to an area near you.
Connect to other breastfeeding organizations throughout the world with
our related links.
Visit our Issues/Action section where you can:
Read about the latest developments in breastfeeding issues in INFACT
Canada’s news releases.
Learn about the most important document pertaining to the protection of
breastfeeding: the World Health Assembly’s
International Code of Marketing of
Breast-Milk Substitutes and subsequent relevant resolutions
of the World
Health Assembly. Monitor violations of the International
Code with our online monitoring form.
Find out about global and national policies on infant and young child
feeding. What’s going on at the Codex Alimentarius and the latest on
World Health Assembly Resolutions.
Know your breastfeeding rights!
The right to breastfeed anywhere, anytime, is protected by the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
NEW Support the Australian initiative to require warning labels
on formula products. Learn more and sign the petition on
Action
Against Formula's website.
Find out about the world’s largest and most successful consumer boycott,
the Nestlé Boycott. Learn
how you can help put pressure on the company until they stop their
dangerous and immoral marketing of breastmilk substitutes.
Help us celebrate World Breastfeeding Week,
an annual event which raises awareness of breastfeeding issues.
Help us stop practices that undermine breastfeeding, and learn about the
latest issues that need urgent action.
Take action by writing a letter, sending an email or making a
phone call.
|
