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IBCLC Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, PhD, breaks down the Booby Traps in a Gerber “Breastfeeding Hints and hurdles” advertisement appearing on WebMD. Read about it in her Blog, “Deconstructing Gerber: Why Industry Should Not be Giving Health Advice.“

According to a recent CDC survey, US hospitals are falling short when it comes to breastfeeding support. Formula marketing bags are just one of the obstacles that new mothers may face in the first few days after birth. What’s to be done? You can start by writing a letter to your hospital to share your experiences, good and bad, during your maternity stay. Tonya Lieberman offers tips on how to make an impact on the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog.

Facing pressure from mothers and professional groups to limit hospital-based marketing, formula companies are looking for new partners to pitch their products.  

Mothers continue to receive uninvited coupons and samples mailed to their homes — according to a recent CDC study, nearly 2/3 of first-time mothers received a free sample of infant formula in the mail .  

Industry marketers continue to reach mothers through mailing lists sold by baby product manufacturers or maternity retailers. In the hospitals, some mothers have reported that baby photo companies are providing addresses to the formula industry to pitch their products to moms.

The industry seems to be extending that strategy to small businesses: we’ve had reports that businesses catering to young families, such as baby photo studios, are handing out formula samples and coupons to clients. In one case, the owner of a photo studio confirmed that a formula representative had approached her about distributing their marketing materials. In another case, a photo company that takes newborn photos in the hospital was connecting with at least one formula manufacturer to share contact information of new parents.

Where have you seen formula handouts in your community? And what can we do to educate businesses about the financial costs and health risks of marketing branded formula to new mothers?  

Studies show that formula marketing bags shorten exclusive breastfeeding duration, even when the formula samples are removed from the bags. How does that work? It’s simple – but subtle. Industry-manufactured “breastfeeding support guides” offer advice that undermines mothers and promotes artificial breastmilk substitutes, as Erin explains beautifully in her guest blog, Helping Themselves: Breastfeeding Advice Nestle-Style.

Mead Johnson pulls “Breast milk formula” web page title

Mead Johnson hit new lows this past week, calling Lipil “The Breast Milk Formula” on its web site. The title to the web page was changed to “Enfamil – Lipil” following a concerted campaign by breastfeeding activists to contact the Federal Trade Commission.

Mead Johnson’s advertising is already under review by the FTC for overstating the health benefits from added fatty acids DHA/ARA. With the recent “breast milk formula” ploy, Mead Johnson sank to new lows, essentially claiming that infant formula is the same thing as human milk.

Read more »

In another cynical move to market formula in the guise of breastfeeding support, Abbott Labs has partnered with Working Mother magazine to create a “workplace breastfeeding support” kit. Blogging in The Huffington Post, Dr. Melissa Bartick explains why businesses should steer clear of formula propaganda, and instead use the Business Case for Breastfeeding, a federally-funded workplace lactation support program.

A “Mama is…” cartoon speculates on how the formula samples in the Enfamil “Breastefeeding Kit” could possibly help mothers successfully nurse. See the cartoon.

Writing in “The Kid’s Menu,” Lesley Porcelli describes how she and her baby resisted a barrage of formula handouts and industry-endorsing health care providers to breastfeed successfully. She writes, “The world seems to start pushing formula on mothers at the moment of conception. But what if you just want your baby to drink breast milk?” Read the article.

Support Ban the Bags on Facebook — join the cause, recruit members, and raise money for our efforts to eliminated unethical marketing of infant formula by health care providers. Visit the Facebook Ban the Bags cause to learn more.

Tanya Lieberman interviews Dr. Alison Stuebe on her podcast and asks, “What’s the problem with those formula company diaper bags?” Listen or download the podcast here.