Formula Companies & Big Tobacco

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

What a nice Christmas present to the women of Massachusetts!

Massachusetts Becomes First State to Prohibit Formula Marketing in Hospitals

"We'd never tolerate the thought of hospitals giving out coupons for Big Macs on the cardiac unit," said Dr. Bartick, an internist. Since lack of breastfeeding is clearly associated with multiple adverse health outcomes in children and mothers, distribution of formula marketing materials by hospitals and health care providers has been recognized as unethical since at least 1981, when the World Health Organization approved the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.

I believe Texas is working on a simular law, that will not allow hospitals to provide formula. This is great for the breastfeeding mother (which I support) but there are mothers out there who choose not to breastfeed their infants. I feel they deserve the choice of breast or bottle feeding and the hospitals should support them.

Ack!

I had my daughter 10 weeks early and she was unable to nurse, and I could barely pump any. After 5 weeks of trying (the most I could ever get was about 2-3 oz) I became septic (dialysis shunt {thing hanging out of my chest}) and all the crap they gave me to fix me, they said not to give my breastmilk, then, like a prune, I dried up.

WAH!:crying2:

If I coulda, I woulda....

But thank God they made formula. Preemie formula. It was gross smelling... But now my lovely little girl went from 3 lbs 9 oz to 45! She'll be 5 in May. :rotfl:

But I have known working mother's not even try, I guess so they won't leak at work, then take the kid to day care at 6 weeks old. Well, I say, to each his (her) own.

ladylabor, thanks for your input. However, it's not about not supporting or shaming formula moms but hospitals encouraging/endorsing formula to the benefit of the companies' profit at a vulnerable time.

Specializes in Postpartum, Lactation.

That's awesome. Hospitals and healthcare workers should be dedicated to advocating for optimal health. Formula feeding is NOT optimal. It's not the "next best" to breastfeeding, either. Why should we encourage poor feeding choices? "Choosing" to formula feed a healthy, term infant should be an expensive alternative, not a subsidized one. I applaud and welcome those types of laws :)

They're not saying that the hospitals won't be able to provide formula; just that the hospital employees won't be handing out the formula companies' marketing materials. Makes perfect sense to me, and I remember being bothered by the practice when I was in my OB rotation in school many years ago.

Of course, there will always be some women who are unable to breastfeed (and really need to use formula), and there will be some women who will prefer not to and are free to make that choice. But, since we know v. well that breastfeeding is the best option for the infant, why would we (healthcare providers) help the formula companies try to convince new parents that their formula is just as good as breastmilk? I like the comparison with handing out Big Mac coupons on the cardiac unit! :)

Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

I support the idea.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I support it, too. I think we should have formula on hand as needed, but I would be very happy NOT to peddle it as a choice to people who are already choosing to breastfeeding, or are undecided.

Specializes in NICU.

I plan on formula feeding my kids, because I have a large amount of fibrous scar tissue in my breasts from a reduction and several different docs have said I will be dealing with recurrent mastitis if I breastfeed. I'm not willing to risk it. And I'm a neonatal ICU nurse so yeah, I know that breastmilk is best, you don't have to lecture me. But formula IS the next best thing to breastfeeding. There is no other feeding choice besides formula and breastmilk - therefore, logically, formula is the next best thing.

But, hey, as long as the hospital has some formula for me to use, that's fine. I don't need the tacky free diaper bag with the free formula, not to mention all the coupons and stuff they shove in there. They even have "breastfeeding support" packs for moms who are breastfeeding - they just put a little sample of formula in there with all this info about how good it is, probably hoping the mom uses it in a moment of weakness. Why even MAKE bags for moms who don't want to use their formula? That always bothered me, like they were vultures circling their prey.

Heck, the formula I plan to use isn't even available at 90% of hospitals, so I'm going to be bringing it from home anyways. In my own diaper bag, thank you very much!

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

one place I worked, the pediatricians had the following standing order:

"remove formula and all advertisements from bags before dispensing them to breastfeeding moms"

Not the perfect "end" of the bags, but BRAVO for their efforts!

When I had my first child, I was not a nurse. I planned on breastfeeding, however, he was born when there was still only a 24 hour stay for moms, so, my help was extremely limited. After I got him home, and an early morning meltdown, I gave in and gave him formula. When child number two came along, I started to BF her, and she did beautifully! I however, discovered very quickly, that I just wasn't a breastfeeding mom. I was riddled with guilt for not giving my children the best for them. But, being the eternal optimist, when child number three came along, I once again started breastfeeding. It took my third child for me to make the guilt free decision to formula feed. My children are 4, 6, and 8, and none of them are unhappy with the decision I made for them. The older two are shining in school and I couldn't ask for a healthier bunch of kids.

As a Mom/Baby RN, it is my job to educate my patients about what is best for their infants, but more important, it is my job to support whatever decision they make without judgment.

Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

As a Mom/Baby RN, it is my job to educate my patients about what is best for their infants, but more important, it is my job to support whatever decision they make without judgment.

As a mom struggling with breastfeeding, THANK YOU! I was so fearful to ask for formula in the hospital- however, my baby wouldn't latch well, and I had been going on about 5 hours sleep (in 48hrs including a delivery). I finally got my husband to go get some formula from the nurse, while I sat there holding Anna while bawling my eyes out, b/c in my eyes, I was not doing my job as a mother b/c I couldn't feed her well enough. I was afraid to ask for formula b/c breastfeeding had been shoved down my throat the entire time I had been there, and I was afraid she'd come in and make me try and get Anna to go to the breast again or afraid she'd fuss me out for quitting.

I am now able to pump and give her breastmilk that way, despite the lactation consultants thoughts that I shouldn't pump (she's not getting it from going directly to the breast- want her to get breastmilk through a bottle or not at all?)

Anyways, my vent's over. Thank you for being supportive of Mom. My nurse came in with the formula, rubbed my back and said "What matters is that she gets food. It's ok."- it meant the world to me at the time.

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