Gabrielle Palmer focused on the economic and ecological aspects from her research but also did more general stuff.
Started with a slide with the pic from the European election with the laptop and bottle. And was appropriately scathing. Then showed a child's picture of a nativity scene where the Mary had a speech bubble saying, 'Joseph has just gone to get the milk'. i.e. what an uphill battle there is to normalize breastfeeding. She showed the Mary/Nestle/ Raphael style painting and talked of the way formula companies have shaped their market so cleverly. That mums using artificial baby milk pay for all these clever marketing ploys everytime they buy a can/carton. And it's incredibly hard for the pro-breastfeeding folks to compete. That it's perhaps even fruitless (though worth a go) to attempt the latest bfing campaign in the face of what formula companies get up to.
She showed a picture of an Ethiopian mum boiling up some water over a fire and said THIS is normal in the world. This is the image of a normal mum boiling up some water. Western world with cars and kettles is abnormal. And when you realize it takes Xkg of wood to boil water 8 times a day and Xkm of walking you realize how essential bfing is around the world. In HIV+ mothers in Africa the advice to formula feed simply makes no sense.
She talked about how the dairy industry is massively subsidized by the EU. That EU taxpayers effectively pay Nestle to process milk into artificial baby milk even though Nestle is a Swiss company i.e. not EU. She talked about the hidden economic value of bfing (mentioned in the book).
On ecology she discussed the food miles in formula, the greenhouse gases from cows. The WATER needed to make and transport formula. I didn't realize how much water was needed in the manufacture of basic food stuffs.
What am I forgetting? Can someone fill in?
Oh yes - she also discussed the kangaroo care at the South African hospital and how change is possible. That the policy change in one hospital can end up being national policy.
She also mentioned a book she had recently read and found fascinating. The Spirit Level by Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson. Talked about how societies with greater equality have the best health (not the same as the richest countries).
She didn't mention a job. I think she does 'this'. Talk and write about bfing. Who knows different? She has recently been made a grandmother for the second time (3 weeks ago).
She came across as a confident, inspiring lady. Very knowledgeable about her material so able to dip in and out of different areas.
Chairmummiaow - I was one of the lasses talking about slings. The one who went second with the flowery red top who talked about babywhisperer.