OB "Freebies"

As simple as it sounds, we gave out newspapers from the baby's date of birth, but parents loved it, and it's inexpensive. Assuming they held onto the newspaper for a babybook, years later they can look at the newspaper and remember the events that took place on the day the baby was born. It's probably especially neat for the baby years down the road to see what was happening in the world at that point in time.

We also had mittens available if they were requested, but staff were indifferent about them because the babies use their fingers to learn about the environment... Socks stay on better anyway :-)

Around the holidays they would have socks with candycanes, or baby ducks, pumpkins, depending on the holiday.

At the hospital where my sister and a few friends delivered they had a pack of newborn pampers (the swaddling kind) a pack of wipes, formula for bottle feeding mothers, a passy, thermometer, a few parenting magazines, baby brush, and diaper bag. I think there were a few more little things I can't remember. They also had for the mothers to order a free pizza and drinks from the hospital cafe.

How about not giving that out at all.

Unethical because nurses should be promoting health. Formula doesn't do that....so giving out formula is unethical and brainwashing IMO. Not sure why the OP thinks so, but this is what I think.

We have formula diaper bags (from Similac, Enfamil and Carnation) for formula feeding moms and breast feeding diaper bags for breast feeding moms. We also have another bag that is filled with a bunch of baby things including diapers, a camera, birpcloths and more. We give them a pack of diapers, wipes, a knit hat and comb

How is giving formula to a mom who has decided to bottlefeed unethical and brainwashing? What I find unethical is withholding support from a mother because she didn't choose to breastfeed. We can encourage and educate, but in the end, the mom is the one who gets to decide. And we should be offering support no matter which road they go down. I can see having different freebie bags for breast and bottle feeders. But to "reward" some for making what we think is the better choice and snub the others--that just isn't right.

IMHO, support should be offered to families in the form of actual support, not gift bags. I hate to use this as an example because giving birth is not an illness or medical condition, but I hope it will make my POV clearer...You don't leave the hospital after surgery with a bag full of freebies and samples, but you do leave educated about your condition and unique situation and you are armed with lists of places to go for more support (nutrition, exercise, support groups, etc). That's the kind of thing that we should be doing for mothers. ALL mothers.

I do not understand how it is considered to be unsupportive of a mother's decision to formula feed not to give her a formula gift bag. There are very good reasons why hospitals/doctors/clinics shouldn't be handing out samples of formula and formula bags as "gifts". The most notable reason being that formula does not promote optimal health, another being that the hospital is being used for targeted advertising of patients.

Research has shown that the formula sample that the hospital or clinic gives to a family is the brand/type the family will continue to use. Most of the time, this is the most expensive formula the company sells. All formulae have the same basic ingredients as regulated by the FDA, and the store brand is just as nutritionally sound as the more expensive name brand. The companies that manufacture formula don't donate the gift bags out of the goodness of their hearts, they do it because it is very good for their bottom line. Additionally, the "free" bags end up costing families and the government BIG dollars because the price of the product is extremely inflated in part because of all the "freebies" and advertising.

The reality is that formula gift bags do not support families. They support a multi-billion dollar business.

I totally agree that families that choose to formula feed should be supported just the same as those who choose to breastfeed. I don't think a family that breastfeeds should get a gift bag and a family that formula feeds shouldn't (I've read that concern shared here a couple of times, so I assume that must be happening some places). I DO think if a hospital wants to give freebies, they should give the same gift to ALL families and avoid formula gifts completely (This would not exclude giving a family who needs formula for the first few days home enough to make it to their WIC appointment of next paycheck. ). Families who complain about the lack of formula gifts could be reminded that every major formula manufacturer has "clubs" that give away coupons along with samples and they can sign up online, via magazine inserts, or through the 1-800 number on the can.

Here are some great resources:
Breastfeeding-Related Maternity Practices at Hospitals and Birth Centers --- United States, 2007
What's wrong with those cute formula "gift" bags?
Fact Sheet on the Proposed Ban on Formula Marketing in Hospitals
Ban the Bags: Blog
No Free Lunch: Influence on behavior, beliefs, and attitudes

We give the "freebie" advertising diaper bag and contents. We have bags from Enfamil, Similac, and Nestle (which is currently the contracted WIC choice). If the mom is not using WIC, we ask which brand they would like (whether they are breast or bottle). They like getting the bags even if they are not planning on using the formula that is in them. We give out the magazine packs which have a sample of something in them (usually lotion) and 2 nursing pads. Unfortunately, we don't give anything else. I guess I could make it a project to go to local businesses and solicit for freebies? I can't imagine the red tape I'll have to go through to get approval for that! It is nice that some hospitals give the moms something.

Unethical because we should be promoting health, not handing out "free" formula. Yes, it is the choice of the mother and if a mother chooses to formula feed then she should pay for it herself. I'm not saying stop giving out little things to those formula feeding moms....all moms should get the little hats, a gift cert. to a local restaurant etc etc. I just think giving formula out is wrong.

Also giving out formula is a good reason for a mom to give up breastfeeding. The first few weeks are rough and with a can of formula sitting on the counter that a new breastfeeding mom just brought home....that formula is starting to look really good at 3am when the mom is having a hard time getting a 3 day old baby latched on.