Madam, - Kate Holmquist's article in Saturday's Weekend Review (June 18th) "Who's left holding the baby?" highlighting the crisis in childcare in Ireland was, as I have come to expect from the author, well researched and informative and made for interesting reading.
But what a missed opportunity! I was dismayed (and disillusioned) to see the article supported by a graphic of six well known brand baby-feeding bottles staring out at me from the page. Once again reinforcing the message that in Ireland, when it comes to how we feed our babies, breastfeeding may be natural, but bottle feeding is definitely the norm!
This, despite the overwhelming public health evidence showing that protecting, promoting and supporting breast feeding is one of the most effective and efficient interventions for improving lifelong health. In Ireland we have by far the lowest rate of breastfeeding in Europe.
The responsibility for effecting change lies not just with the Health Service Executive, Department of Health and Children and other Government bodies, but with the media, and with each and every one of us.
Of course each parent has the right to choose how to feed their new-born infant, but how about making the healthier choice the more accepted choice - the norm? And how about The Irish Times doing its bit in helping to get the message across that when it comes to nutrition, breastfeeding is the best possible start a parent can give their newborn infant?
Now. . . let's imagine that same article appearing again in The Irish Times, but this time with a graphic of six mothers breastfeeding their infants. We live in a world where the visual message is king - let's use it to the advantage of our nation's health! - Yours, etc,
KATHLEEN JORDAN, Dietitian, Clontarf, Dublin 3.