Another day, another ploy from a formula company. This time it's the Similac Mom nutritional drink. It looks pretty much to me like Slimfast, but rather than suggesting it as a meal replacement to lose weight, it's suggested as a snack or a drink throughout the day, or even as an additive in smoothies.
Since the first weeks of breastfeeding can prove to be tough to eat or drink enough, and the same can be said of pregnancy when you're nauseous, a vitamin and mineral drink isn't a terrible idea, though the ingredient list for Similac Mom is rather ... terrifying (too much sugar!).
But my issue comes in somewhere else, what happens when you, as "Pregnant or Breastfeeding Mother," click to order a free sample ...
To get your FREE Similac Mom & formula samples and welcome package, complete the form below.
By merely ordering a sample of their pregnancy and BREASTFEEDING drink, you are also sent free formula and signed up for their "welcome package," which consists of, you guessed it, more formula, formula coupons, formula advertisements, and bottle couples as well.
One of the biggest goals of formula companies is to get their formula into your home -- whether you plan to formula feed or not. Two-thirds of moms receive free formula in the mail, though the majority did not sign up for it. Most of my avid breastfeeding mom-friends have received formula samples. Even I did -- a whole, full-sized can! I know who signed me -- the name was spelled "Kristie" on the label, which was the same way my name had been misspelled on everything else that I ended up being sent merely for giving my info to a certain maternity store, supposedly only to get mailed information on their sale items. Liars.
Of course, I know the common argument here, "Women who are really determined to breastfeed won't be swayed by free formula." That's true, but it takes women who are very educated about formula, to the point of finding some of the risks scary and willing to work my butt off to avoid it, to not find that formula tempting. But even moreso, it takes a woman who is confident in her ability to breastfeed, who has a great support system, who isn't nervous about success. That number is incredibly low.
A simple look at facts shows how effective free formula actually is:
- Breastfeeding mothers who received free formula samples at discharge were less likely to still be breastfeeding at one month (78% vs. 84%, p=0.07).
- Breastfeeding mothers who received free formula samples at discharge were more likely to introduce solid foods by 2 months (18% vs. 10%, p=0.01).
- The above trends were more significant among less educated mothers, first time mothers, and mothers who had been ill postpartum.
- Women who did not receive discharge packs containing formula were more likely to be exclusively breastfeeding at 3 weeks postpartum (OR 1.52, 95%CI 1.12-2.05).
Those are some significant numbers, and part of the reason that the Ban the Bags organization exists, trying to prevent hospitals and doctors from sending home the "free" bags from formula companies with new moms. It's damaging. Especially to new moms, or those who are trying to breastfeed after struggles, or those who are very nervous.
I got free formula with Rowan, though I was positive I was going to breastfeed, and I used it. He had GERD and would nurse almost non-stop to soothe his throat, projectile vomit, then nurse again, and when I was so, so tired and wanted to just be able to pee, or was convinced I had no milk, those ready-made bottles the hospital sent home, a whole pallet of them, ended up going in Rowan's mouth. Repeatedly. Until the whole pallet was gone. When we went to the hospital with him at 3 days old and spent 5 days there, they provided the formula the whole time, and we used it. We hoarded it and took it home too, another whole pallet, maybe two. When that ran out, we bought a can, of the same brand the hospitals had been giving us, of course. I would say that in Rowan's first month of life, he was 35-40 percent formula fed.
Would I have gone out and bought formula and used it if we hadn't been given any? I really, honestly don't think I would have. I pumped non-stop too and had my husband give him those bottles first, because I knew formula wasn't as good, and knew it had some risks, but dang it, we HAD it, and how bad could those risks REALLY be? But that's what formula companies count on -- they prey on new moms, on pregnant moms, on you. They want you to have their product there so in a moment of weakness or self-doubt, you use it. Then if your baby doesn't explode, you might use it again ... and again ... and then go buy more of that exact one since "baby tolerated it okay."
Advertising a drink towards breastfeeding and pregnant moms but sending free formula and signing them up for your formula program is just yet another form of sabotage, though I can't say I'm surprised. Shame on you, Similac.
Image via Similac
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Comments 98
I planned to exclusively breastfeed my daughter. That's how every woman in my family has done it, and I am so pro-breastfeeding, I had my heart set on it. I recieved a bunch of formula samples and pitched them. For some reason though, my supply never came in fully. I didn't really know for a while either, all this time, my little girl was starving. i just couldn't make enough for her, and i was heartbroken. completely devastated. She lost so much weight, even once she was put on normal formula, that she now takes 4 oz of ultra-concentrated similac neosure (which is for preemies), every hour. she has gained a half a pound, just a pound and a half till she's back at birthweight. formula saved her life.
my point is, i honestly wish i had saved the samples. my daughter could have been spared so much pain and eventual dangerous weight loss. if you plan to exclusively breastfeed and then use the samples just because youre sleepy or don't feel like nursing, that is not the formula company's fault. its understandable, and you aren't a terrible mom, but women blame the formula company. if you could breastfeed, and chose to supplement, that isn't wrong, but it certainly wasn't because the CEO of Abbott came and held a gun to your head, was it?
Pony Chaser, you commented that women should talk with their doctors, the nurses, the hospital, etc. about breastfeeding and formula. Unfortunately, women will be very unlikely to get accurate information from these sources. Doctor's clinics and hospitals are constantly preyed upon by pharmaceutical companies. They are wined and dined and strongly encouraged to promote their drugs and products, get free samples to hand out and get monetary gifts of thanks for promoting their products. Many hospitals that hold breastfeeding trainings for the nurses are knowingly, or unknowingly, providing them information put together by formula companies.
As a breastfeeding counsellor, I've done extensive research into the formula marketing process, and it's amazing to me just how far the formula companies have gone, and just how many pies they have stuck their fingers into. They are the primary funders of so many research projects. How accurate will the breastfeeding information be when a company that relies on your failure in breastfeeding is putting together the information? It would be nice if we could believe that they have good intentions, but their primary objective is to make money.
The World Health Organization wrote up the International Code of Marketing Breast-Milk Substitutes(you can read it here:http://who.int/nutrition/publications/code_english.pdf) in 1981, and encouraged all countries to sign The Code. The U.S., unfortunately, cares too much about making money and has never signed this code. =( Many other countries around the world have, though. The first article in The Code is: "There should be no advertising or other form of promotion to the general public of products within the scope of this Code."
Here's what WHO has to say about formula marketing:
"No breast-milk substitute, not even the most sophisticated and nutritionally balanced formula, can begin to offer the numerous unique health advantages that breast milk provides for babies. Nor can artificial feeding do more than approximate the act of breastfeeding, in physiological and emotional significance, for babies and mothers alike. And no matter how appropriate infant formula may be from a nutritional standpoint, when infants are not breastfed or are breastfed only partially, feeding with formula remains a deviation from the biological norm for virtually all infants. Therefore, infant formula should not be marketed or distributed in any environment in ways that may interfere with the protection and promotion of breastfeeding."
If a mother is unable to breastfeed her child herself, the first alternate should be to use another nursing mother, the second alternative should be to use donated breastmilk. There are milk banks across the US and Canada, and there is an extensive network of breastmilk donators with a program called Eats on Feets. Each state and province in North America has an Eats on Feets chapter. Human babies need human milk and it *is* available!
Holy cow! You people are crazy! The formula company is now controlling the doctors to push their product on the unsuspecting victims?! My doctor does a breast exam to ensure that women don't have inverted nipples or anything else that might make breastfeeding a bit more difficult so that she can send them to a lactation consultant before they encounter problems. The hospital I went to when my daughter was born had lactation consultants on hand who visited several times during the two days to ensure that I didn't have any questions. My infertility clinic, OB office and hospital all have breast is best signs up. Are those just decoys? So that we start trusting them only to find out they're sneaking our babies formula while we're not looking?! Here's a secret.. not EVERYONE is out to get you and your baby.. AND, get this, you have the freedom of choice, so maybe (whether someone gives you a GASP sample of formula or not) you should be responsible for making your own decisions, ensuring that the information you're gathering is reliable. I'm sorry but you can't choose for every other woman in the world. You can't protect her and her baby from all of the "dangers" out there. If someone chooses not to do appropriate research, that's their choice. Fortunately, formula feeding isn't likely to kill their child, so you shouldn't have too guilty of a conscious..
Oops, make that conscience. I type too fast. And to clarify, I think it's great that women believe in SUPPORTING other women in their choice to breastfeeding, I just think that attempting to bully women into breastfeeding and alienate those who opt against it is not the right way to go about things. I also think that we are letting go of individual responsibility and opting to blame others on a far too regular basis.
My goodness!! Women are not supposed to talk to their doctors? The nurses? This is because ALL doctors, nurses and hospitals are evil corporations that prey upon unsuspecting and stupid mothers, stripping them of all self-knowledge and common sense, tie them to beds, handcuff, gag and blindfold them, drag their babies away into dark caves and force-feed them formula? The ONLY people that mothers should trust are midwives and lactation counselors specifically sanctioned by the WHO? And should these women also travel to the fields of Africa, because breast feeding is common there - because the mothers are desperately poor and cannot afford formula?
Honestly.
Yes, I know I'm being snarky and ridiculous. But some of you ladies are going WAY overboard. All I said is: if a woman doesn't want a free sample of formula, she should toss it or give it to another mother who will use it. WHY is that so offensive to you? Why should it offend you so, for me to say that mothers should do their own research and make their own decisions?
(and if you're still having an issue with the whole "supplement" thing - please go back and READ my last post, where I clarified that mothers who are breastfeeding should be supplementing THEIR OWN diets - not their babies' diets. But, of course, I was told that by my doctor and her nurse, both of whom are likely part of some sort of massive conspiracy to make breastfeeding a felony offense)
it's a business. mothers who are breastfeeding or planning on it should not feel threatened by this at all.
It is... weird to say but I know WAY WAY to many young mothers. Here's the thing. Ideally every woman should research the 'choices' she is going to make. Fact is formula is so ingrained in our society SOME women don't even know that bfing is an option ( I kid you not), and a large portion equate formula to being 'just as good' as breast feeding. They don't realize it's something that they 'need to research'.
While we may say that that is 'their' problem (and not that that statement is untrue) it's is due (in part and a LARGE part IMO) because of the somewhat subliminal and sleazy 'marketing' that has really ingrained itself into a NORMAL part of our society. Sure, free samples are nice, but why are they being sent to people who DID NOT ASK FOR THEM? Why are free samples AUTOMATICALLY handed out at hospitals? Dr.'s offices? Well, we know why. It's because that kind of marketing WORKS.
What says 'This is great fro your baby' besides a medical proffesional handing you the container?
I'm sorry but it is sleazy, it is wrong and it DOES undermine too many bf'ing relationships.
EXACTLY what I wanted to say!!
"And to clarify, I think it's great that women believe in SUPPORTING other women in their choice to breastfeeding, I just think that attempting to bully women into breastfeeding and alienate those who opt against it is not the right way to go about things."
Thanks!!!