Who
should be ashamed of themselves? Everyone who is posting here, or the
makers of the site? Who exactly is this comment being addressed to?
By Erin
This website makes me sick to my stomach! You all should be ashamed of yourselves!
By Kelly
Sorry,
but this quote just sounds like the talking points from the formula
side: "Thankfully, I at least had the formula I'd been given so that I
could get over myself and my emotions and take care of my child's
needs. It wasn't the time to run to the 24 hour grocery and try and
figure it all out. My child needed to eat right then, and he did." Get
over yourself??? I honestly hope that this is not how you felt, because
wanting to nurse your child is not an attitude of "being on a high
horse," it is *normal.* It is totally *normal* for a mother to want to
provide *normal* nutrition to her baby... it has nothing to do with
thinking you're superior in some way. Are you implying that women who
struggle through it when their milk is slow to come in aren't "getting
over themselves" and are putting their babies at risk by not
supplementing? That's not the case... my milk didn't come in for 4-5
days, but I knew that was normal... I am sorry you didn't. A baby's
stomach is tiny - it is designed to take in the small amounts of
colostrum in the first few days. I am truly sorry that you could not
nurse the first baby as you'd wanted to, and I am sure you did what you
felt was best. It was the idea of having an attitude that needed
"getting over" that got to me... I mean, we don't tell 12 month olds
learning to walk to "get over themselves" and just get a wheelchair
instead, yet that is a totally normal thing for them to do - learn to
walk. Granted, learning to breastfeed is much more difficult for many
to learn in this day and age than learning to walk... but it is also a
process, just as learning to walk, that takes time. I am sorry to see
the misconceptions continuing... that the baby needs to have milk
within the first few days or he'll starve. Unless this was a week or
more postpartum, the baby would have been fine on colostrum. If it was
a week or more postpartum, then you can ignore this :)
By Erin
What
makes anyone think we're not also fighting to help women feel
comfortable nursing in public, to extend maternity leaves, etc.? If I
recall correctly, the proposal in MA was that any mother could
*request* the bag of free formula (whether she intended to breastfeed
or formula-feed) but that it wouldn't be GIVEN AUTOMATICALLY anymore.
Frankly, they're so endemic that I assume quite a few moms, bf or ff,
would say, "Hey, where's my bag?" and be given one, under those rules.
No one is preventing moms from access to formula. If a baby needs to be
fed IMMEDIATELY then that baby should be taken to the ER or the
Pediatrician's office, too, because that baby is in bad shape. If a
half hour trip to the store for formula is too long for baby to wait,
baby ought to be hooked up to an IV I'm guessing.
One of my closest friends called in tears on Day 4 after her baby was
born (c/s). Her milk hadn't come in, her baby was nursing and seemed
frustrated, and she and her husband were sure they were starving their
baby. We talked about how many wet and poopy diapers they were getting
(and it was the 'right' number), signs of dehydration (there were none)
etc. - I calmed her down, she decided they'd go to the LC clinic the
next morning (it was a weekend), and -- her milk came in three hours
later. If she had had formula, she'd have supplemented and started a
rocky road of supplementing/doubting her ability to feed her infants,
etc. Instead, she has successfully breastfed both of her babies for
over a year. Formula companies know that's what will happen if moms
don't have the free formula can to sabotage those dark nights in the
early breastfeeding relationship, and THAT is why they give out the
free samples. I hate to ask this but - Jodi, have you had your medical
condition diagnosed? Because given that 95-98% of breastfeeding dyads
work -- I know if I were you, I'd wonder whether I'd been sabotaged or
misled, since that's what happens to most women in the US who think
that they can't/couldn't breastfeed. And scientifically speaking,
there's no difference between us and the moms in Scandinavia who manage
a much higher breastfeeding rate. But formula is prescription-only
there, there is excellent maternal and lactation support there.
By TK
I
am a mother of 3 children and I wanted to breastfeed all of them.
Unfortunately, I had serious problems doing that with the first one. In
the middle of one night when I finally had to accept what my doctor had
been telling me, (I will say the unthinkable now.....) I was thankful
for the free samples I had received from the hospital. My child was
hungry. He needed to eat. I was unable to feed him. I felt like I'd
failed. Failed him. Thankfully, I at least had the formula I'd been
given so that I could get over myself and my emotions and take care of
my child's needs. It wasn't the time to run to the 24 hour grocery and
try and figure it all out. My child needed to eat right then, and he
did. No, it was not my plan. I wanted to breastfeed. It didn't work out
that way with that baby. And thankfully, I had what I needed. Shame on
all of you for your nasty rhetoric. If you want to make a real
difference, work to guarantee every woman in this country the right to
breastfeed any place any time. Or, maybe work on helping women get the
maternity time they deserve so that they can breastfeed longer. Stop
targeting free bags. I encourage you to make a bigger difference with
all your efforts.
By jodi
The
bottom line is this: formula will still remain in the hospitals. it
will be there for emergencies, not as a "free gift" for every new
mother to take home with her. I would really like to hear somebody's
viewpoint on why it would be so wrong for a hospital to not give out
these sample bags that promote the formula companies. somebody please
tell me - why can't a mother who wants the samples request them
herself, direct from the company. They will send them to you - they
find out you're pregnant and send them if you so much as sign up for
baby-related information anywhere. Why can't mothers who want the
samples get them this way? Can anybody answer this logically?
By Erin
Kay, who are you calling a moron? or a honey?
By emma
I
half wonder if hospitals get some sort of kick back for the number of
the bloody bags they hand out. When I was discharged, the nurse on duty
"snuck" two more bags into my possession (for a total of three). My
mother-in-law works for another hospital (in materials management) and
she gave me 3 or 4 of them, too. My daughter is exclusively breast fed
and I am proud to say we haven't used an ounce.
By Briana
You
morons do realize that hospitals aren't banning formula, right? They're
not tying women down and forcing them to breastfeed. They're saying
they won't be intimidated and bribed by formula companies. They're
saying they won't participate in taking advantage of vulnerable new
mothers to get their babies addicted to formula so the formula execs
can continue to rake in the dough. NO ONE IS OBLIGATED TO FEED YOUR
BABY FOR FREE. THAT INCLUDES THE HOSPITAL.
And I find it hard to believe that so many women live hundreds of miles
from a store. If they're that desperate for formula, they can DRIVE TO
THE STORE AND BUY SOME. There's NO excuse for formula companies trying
to undermine breastfeeding with their absurd bags.
And honey, they DO give you a lot of formula. Even in the
"breastfeeding" bags. Because they know that for every dollar they
spend on the bag, they'll make HUNDREDS more after the mom gives up on
breastfeeding, thanks in part to their "free" bags.
Anyone who says the bag "has" no factor is obviously painfully ignorant
(which is what this website is banking on!) Please educated yourself
and take a look at any of the numerous studies that have been done on
the detrimental effect these bags have on breastfeeding success before
you make such statements.
And give me a break with your stupid statistics. You really think we
believe that 52% of women are incapable of producing enough milk for
their babies? Kudos on reinforcing erroneous beliefs instead of
actually educating women and empowering them to believe in their
bodies. American women must be broken, Scandinavian women manage a 98%+
breastfeeding rate.
I bet they don't hand out free bags of formula, either.
By Kay
Umm...yeah.
I don't know anyone who left the hospital with LESS than 16 or even 20
cans of RTF. Not full size cans, but the smaller cans that fill a
bottle or two.
Sure, the discharge bag only had the one (full size) can in it, but
when the docs tell you to "supplement or your child will get sick"
because they have slight jaundice or lost a few ounces or haven't grown
hair yet, they send you home with a literal GARBAGE bag full of
formula.
My children were both EBF. My second was born at home...no formula
samples. My first was born in a hospital...I added it up. We came home
with enough formula to feed her for nearly TWO MONTHS. Sample size my
butt.
By Jen
The
bags need to be banned because unfortunately most women don't have
accurate information about breastfeeding. The formula companies KNOW
this, and this is why they love giving out the bags. They want women to
get their feeding info from a formula company. They are taking
advantage of women who are in a vulnerable position. These womnen have
just given birth, they are exhausted, they can't get good breastfeeding
help IN the hospital or OUT of the hospital, etc. For most women, the
easiest thing for them to turn to is a bottle of formula when
breastfeeding gets too hard. Let's change THAT! Women don't need free
samples of formula. It's amazing how they manage to get everything else
that they need for the baby without anyone's help (diapers, clothes,
wipes, etc.) Women who want to formula feed can go buy formula, it's
not that hard to find.
These bags are made to sabatage breastfeeding. Anyone with half a brain
knows that.
By M
This
is just silliness. Breastfeeding is the best way to feed a baby (unless
you really, really can't for medical reasons) and this just adds to the
confusion for women who aren't as educated on the subject. Shame on
"you" for taking advantage of these women!
By Mary in Ky
This
"blog" is the most transparent crap I've ever encountered. I mean,
seriously, "NPR let me down"!?! Is it not bad enough that you formula
marketers break the WHO code left and right? Now you have to stoop to
this insidious form of manipulation? What's funny is that most of the
comments I've read here are obviously pro-bf and anti-formula
manufacturer. So, it's not really workin' out for ya, is it?
By Regina Phalange
If
the free "bag" had no influence, then the formula companies wouldn't
spend the money. Can you really believe that a website sponsored by the
International Formula Council is going to be objective??? Women don't
"instinctively" know about all the research that undeniably proves that
breast milk is superior and more healthful. So while they are busy
"trying" new products, their milk supply is drying up leaving a new
captive audience who must spend outrageous prices for an entire year.
(Mother nature provides breastmilk free!)
By Mary
I got a formula bag from my OB's office in my 3rd trimester with a lot
of small glass bottles of formula. I don't remember the exact number
but it was likely 16. Maybe this was the bag described on the NPR show.
I also applaud NPR for their show.
By I got more than just a can
In
the last year 5 women I know have had children.
Only 2 of us are still breastfeeding. The other 3 stopped within the
first month. Why? Because it was too hard. They didn't have the
resources to seek out a knowledgeable professional and receive help. So
now they are stuck feeding their child an inferior product. I THANK NPR
for a pretty fair and accurate article.
By Kim
This
is the United Staes of American...capitalism and freedom. Products are
marketed to people via all sorts of channels. The bag of products from
the hospital is not different. It is a tool for the companies to
introduce their product to consumers and for consumers to try and learn
about them. Women are smart and will make their their own
decisions..the bag has no factor. What are they going to ban next???
By Nina
