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Author: Christie del Castillo-Hegyi MD
Co-Founder of the Fed is Best Foundation, Board-Certified Emergency Physician and Investigator of Breastfeeding Complications that Result in Infant Rehospitalization, Brain Injury and Disability
Fed is Best Philadephia Billboard Campaign
Jody Segrave-Daly, RN, IBCLC and Christie del Castillo-Hegyi, M.D.
On October 16, 2019, the Fed is Best Foundation billboard went up on I-95 Northbound, 0.3 miles south of Bridge St. in the heart of Philadelphia. This billboard was purchased with donations from private family and health professional supporters of the Fed is Best Foundation. It was a billboard that did not mince words with regard to the risk of newborn brain injury and disability from insufficient feeding complications, namely phototherapy-requiring jaundice.
Since then, several anti-Fed is Best, lactivist groups have posted about the billboard showing their clear concern about the effects of fully informing the public of these serious risks of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. We are saddened to see them express little concern about the harm caused to babies and their families by a policy that routinely shames families who choose to use formula, normalizes signs of persistent infant hunger and exaggerates the risks of formula while hiding the risk of brain injury from insufficient feeding while exclusively breastfeeding.
Kristen Umunna Talks About Breastfeeding and Becoming a Fearless Formula-Feeder
Kristen Umunna talks about being a first-time mom motivated to exclusively breastfeed. She describes the traumatic experience of her child developing jaundice and dehydration from insufficient feeding. She ultimately became a fearless exclusive formula feeding mom to all five of her children. She is a fierce advocate for formula-feeding families and feels strongly that they too deserve respect and support from the community.
Heather Curran Talks about Exclusive Breastfeeding Her Two Boys
Heather Curran talks about exclusively breastfeeding both her boys to 13 months. She talks about the challenges along the way including problems with mastitis, nursing strikes and transitioning to complementary feeding. She talks about the importance of getting support as a mom and being flexible when encountering challenges.
National Women’s Health Advocate Describes How A Baby-Friendly Hospital Starved Her Baby
Sarah Christopherson is a mother and the Policy Advocacy Director at the National Women’s Health Network, a non-profit advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. She talks about her breastfeeding experiences and her recent experience in a Baby-Friendly hospital where her child became severely dehydrated and lost 15% of her birth weight while in the hospital. She discusses how policies can negatively affect patient health and how systemic change is needed to support positive patient health outcomes and prevent patient coercion.
