Hospitals pressured to end free baby formula [View all]

Source: Reuters

Hospitals pressured to end free baby formula

By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON | Mon Apr 9, 2012 4:50pm EDT

(Reuters) - New parents leaving U.S. hospitals often take home a corporate gift along with their babies: a tote bag filled with infant formula. Consumer advocates want to end the giveaways, which they say undermine breastfeeding.

In a letter to more than 2,600 hospitals, dozens of consumer and health organizations called on the facilities to stop distributing free samples of formula that they say entangles healthcare providers in pharmaceutical and food manufacturers' marketing and could be seen as an endorsement.

Giving formula to new parents discourages some new mothers from breastfeeding, the groups said on Monday in the letter sent by the advocacy group Public Citizen. They are also petitioning the $4 billion infant formula industry's leaders - Abbott Laboratories, Mead Johnson Nutrition Co and Nestle SA - to halt the practice.

Hospitals aim "to promote the health of infants and mothers, but the ongoing promotion of infant formula conflicts with this mission," Public Citizen President Robert Weissman wrote in the letter to hospital chief executives.

-snip-

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133 replies	Author	Time	Post
Hospitals pressured to end free baby formula [View all]	Eugene	Apr 2012	OP
I could not agree more.	CaliforniaPeggy	Apr 2012	#1
If a new mother doesn't want to use it, she won't	HockeyMom	Apr 2012	#2
The free formula I was offered stayed at the hospital...	Kalidurga	Apr 2012	#3
I had a friend who just didn't have the milk.	YellowRubberDuckie	Apr 2012	#4
Thank you.	enlightenment	Apr 2012	#5
+1. I have thyroid disease. I pumped after each feeding for a year.	gkhouston	Apr 2012	#41
Mine would have starved too	Crunchy Frog	Apr 2012	#92
I tend to believe that	enlightenment	Apr 2012	#96
We had latching problems - by day 2 the nurses said I really needed to feed the baby	TBF	Apr 2012	#72
Latching is not necessary by day two TBF	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#77
Thank you -	TBF	Apr 2012	#82
When my cousin gave birth about 8 months back she was sent home with a bunch of premade formula	Justice wanted	Apr 2012	#6
If a woman is going to breast feed, she's not going to NOT breast feed because	gateley	Apr 2012	#7
Amen!	likesmountains 52	Apr 2012	#8
Gately? Don't believe everything you think.	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#21
That's a ludicrous comparison. Making such over-the-top proclamations	gkhouston	Apr 2012	#53
Apparently vanlassie doesn't think women are capable of making an informed decision.	ceile	Apr 2012	#61
The Marlboro is for the after-feeding smoke ...	Bake	Apr 2012	#63
My little sis went dry after 3 months	FrodosPet	Apr 2012	#73
and then there are those poor adopted babies	blueamy66	Apr 2012	#81
Blueamy? You didn't know adoptive mothers sometimes bring in a milk supply???	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#88
mine didn't	blueamy66	Apr 2012	#113
So women are morons?	jeff47	Apr 2012	#93
A lot of first time mothers give up because it becomes "too hard".	Luminous Animal	Apr 2012	#71
Because they are unable to get to the grocery store and buy their own? (nt)	jeff47	Apr 2012	#94
Some things are difficult. Consistant support from hospital staff	Luminous Animal	Apr 2012	#95
Again, they aren't able to get to the grocery store to buy their own?	jeff47	Apr 2012	#101
You are confuzzled. But that's okay. I have better things to do.	Luminous Animal	Apr 2012	#103
No, I'm not confused at all.	jeff47	Apr 2012	#105
Yes you are. NO I'M NOT. Yes you are. NO I'M NAWWWWWT.	Luminous Animal	Apr 2012	#106
No. It gets hard, they see the freebie tempting them, they use it.... AND THEN....	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#120
Milk production level isn't one-way.	jeff47	Apr 2012	#130
But you're forgetting that women are mindless victims	WolverineDG	Apr 2012	#85
I get so frustrated that the free formula samples are blamed for our low breast feeding rates.	likesmountains 52	Apr 2012	#9
Agreed. nt	avebury	Apr 2012	#10
Amen.	Yo_Mama	Apr 2012	#12
Yes, that is being addressed currently.	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#22
Well I work at a hospital that gives free samples	Horse with no Name	Apr 2012	#33
You believe mothers who smoke can't breast feed?	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#38
Would love to know YOUR training	Horse with no Name	Apr 2012	#40
Horse, if you work in a hospital and would discourage mothers who smoke	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#58
It's not "inflammatory". It's complete and utter bullshit.	gkhouston	Apr 2012	#67
Um it'sUNICEF and W.H.O., not me who say that a million babies a year DIE- because of formula	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#69
Because of a lack of clean water and impoverished mothers who	gkhouston	Apr 2012	#78
Remember that essay I posted a while back?	REP	Apr 2012	#79
Yes. n/t	gkhouston	Apr 2012	#83
AGAIN....what do you tell adoptive mothers	blueamy66	Apr 2012	#86
??? I'm not telling mothers who are unable or unwilling to nurse that they're inadequate.	gkhouston	Apr 2012	#87
I tell them not to get advice from people who don't know enough to advise them...	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#89
I definitely agree with the medication reason	rebecca_herman	Apr 2012	#98
You can easily check on the meds.	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#121
I agree that the 6 wks is ridiculous	laundry_queen	Apr 2012	#25
Uh....no.	jeff47	Apr 2012	#100
In your experience.	laundry_queen	Apr 2012	#107
In your experience.	jeff47	Apr 2012	#111
Um. Not so.	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#122
Good to know my daughter doesn't exist, just on your say-so. (nt)	jeff47	Apr 2012	#129
I agree	Canuckistanian	Apr 2012	#70
I don't think it does	Yo_Mama	Apr 2012	#11
It does get old, doesn't it?	Mariana	Apr 2012	#17
But mothers breastfeed when sick. They always have.	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#24
I just don't agree with that	Yo_Mama	Apr 2012	#50
In my extensive experience	Horse with no Name	Apr 2012	#34
I am very thankful for the formula my wife and I received when we had our first baby.	ZombieHorde	Apr 2012	#13
We have WIC for that.	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#26
Not true. n/t	Horse with no Name	Apr 2012	#35
Really.	REP	Apr 2012	#80
Yep. Really.	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#90
why would "consumer advocates" want to restrict choice?	ecstatic	Apr 2012	#14
Because some women make the "wrong" choice.	Mariana	Apr 2012	#45
I don't believe this is true.	Alenne	Apr 2012	#15
Statistically they do.	laundry_queen	Apr 2012	#27
If you are supported and believe you will succeed...sure	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#28
This should be an OPTION, and only after	LadyHawkAZ	Apr 2012	#16
Good suggestion.	blue neen	Apr 2012	#18
IIRC, the tote I got all those years ago did contain leak pads.	gkhouston	Apr 2012	#84
So exactly how stupid are women?	jeff47	Apr 2012	#97
A new mom with a first baby?	LadyHawkAZ	Apr 2012	#112
I'm having trouble believing that you think women are so stupid they need to be protected	jeff47	Apr 2012	#115
where did all this weird come from?	LadyHawkAZ	Apr 2012	#116
Because your argument requires that women have no agency	jeff47	Apr 2012	#117
so once she has made that decision	LadyHawkAZ	Apr 2012	#118
No, my solution is to not have a 3rd party regulate the decision.	jeff47	Apr 2012	#119
well, that's a bit harsh...	LadyHawkAZ	Apr 2012	#131
Actually, it's the opposite of what you're claiming.	jeff47	Apr 2012	#132
No jeff47. You have missed several points.	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#123
Why on earth would manufacturers make such an effort to have all mothers leave	Cairycat	Apr 2012	#19
Ermmm.. because the mothers who were going to use formula anyway	dmallind	Apr 2012	#30
Abbott?	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#31
They tried to separate my daughter and I after she was born...	Luminous Animal	Apr 2012	#74
So we use pampers then?	jeff47	Apr 2012	#99
Using Pampers will not diminish your milk supply.	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#124
Way to miss the point.	jeff47	Apr 2012	#127
I am conflicted	GobBluth	Apr 2012	#20
There is a mystery EXACTLY because there is a billion dollar industry	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#29
No I don't think breastfeeding has always been a mystery	GobBluth	Apr 2012	#37
The human race survived because enough children survived	Mariana	Apr 2012	#47
Yes, and also there used to be a lot more women giving birth	Yo_Mama	Apr 2012	#51
About nursing mothers sharing their milk	Mariana	Apr 2012	#57
If true, what took so long?	nadinbrzezinski	Apr 2012	#23
Here is what I don't understand.	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#32
Thank you!	soleiri	Apr 2012	#46
The difference is we don't think women let a free sample rule them	jeff47	Apr 2012	#104
I would not be so sure that the "Fearless Formula Feeder"	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#125
It's an aggregation of links to scientific journals. Their beliefs are irrelevant. (nt)	jeff47	Apr 2012	#128
Breast is best--no doubt, but if it isn't working do you let that poor little kid starve?	davsand	Apr 2012	#36
Well said	Yo_Mama	Apr 2012	#52
"It's not a social priority" sums it up quite well. The health of mom and baby SHOULD be the focus	davsand	Apr 2012	#56
I'm sick of these breast-feeding nazis	taught_me_patience	Apr 2012	#39
Yes. Me too.	Horse with no Name	Apr 2012	#42
My daughter also had a high palate, and a tendency to spit out any nipple.	gkhouston	Apr 2012	#55
+10	RandySF	Apr 2012	#44
Thank you. I had twins.	HappyMe	Apr 2012	#62
I'm tired of people who call	laundry_queen	Apr 2012	#66
The name calling will stop when the screaming stops	jeff47	Apr 2012	#102
hyperbole much?	laundry_queen	Apr 2012	#108
Must've not looked very far.	jeff47	Apr 2012	#110
Sorry, but not all moms can be perfect.	RandySF	Apr 2012	#43
Meh - I got free samples with every baby, yet I breastfed every baby.	Chemisse	Apr 2012	#48
we breastfeed both our girls	belcffub	Apr 2012	#49
The decision on whether or not to breastfeed has usually been made before baby is born	Arkansas Granny	Apr 2012	#54
We had a very hard time	Maine-ah	Apr 2012	#59
They are just a bonus and it's nice to have them on hand just in case.	cbdo2007	Apr 2012	#60
I think everyone can agree that breast milk is best, but in some cases that it is not possible	KitSileya	Apr 2012	#64
Thanks Kitsileya	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#68
My wife received it and donated it to someone else.	Zalatix	Apr 2012	#65
A callous, bonehead move like this does a disservice to babies and moms.	BlueIris	Apr 2012	#75
Aw jeez...this was essential when my kids were born	Taverner	Apr 2012	#76
Yep - it's no longer a fetus anymore! So who cares about it?	jillan	Apr 2012	#91
Some women can not produce enough milk, I guess the baby should starve.	Pisces	Apr 2012	#109
Oh please.	vanlassie	Apr 2012	#126
For the profits	Cairycat	Apr 2012	#114
I was determined to breast feed and gave mine away to someone who I knew was formula feeding	Nikia	Apr 2012	#133