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Code for 'That's an Ugly Baby!'
We’ve talked about the sometimes insidious effect of formula marketing before. Obviously, many moms, like me, are glad formula is there to turn to when stress and illness make it difficult to exclusively breastfeed our kids. But the formula companies sometimes go too far, especially in other parts of the world, where moms get the message that formula is superior to breast milk. This can cause major long-term health problems, particularly in places where there isn’t reliably clean water to mix with the formula.
Well, one country is taking a stand and making formula marketing illegal.
It's now illegal to market formula in Indonesia to moms of babies under 1 year. Is this a good idea? It may be. Could it happen here? Doubtful.
Indonesia is in the midst of a baby crisis. Only about 14 percent of their babies are exclusively breastfed, and rates are dropping precipitously (sometimes 10 percent in one year). And it’s not poverty that’s changing things -- it’s wealth, as women enter the work place or have enough extra income to pay for expensive formula. As marketing targets moms, formula actually becomes something of a status symbol.
Marketers of the kinds of formula available in Indonesia are already on board with the new regulations, with no babies under the age of 1 shown in their ads. Still, almost 40 percent of Indonesian babies show stunted growth, and there are high levels of malnutrition and child mortality. And even though hospitals are banned from handing out formula to new moms, they still do it; hospital workers are rarely trained to help women figure out when their milk comes in, how to handle latching on, or any other lactation support.
Seems like rather than fining the formula companies, they should put their efforts into educating the doctors and nurses (and worrying more about formula companies marketing directly to doctors), but one step at a time, I suppose.
Do you think this will improve child health in Indonesia? Do you think formula marketing changes women's minds about whether they will breastfeed?
Image via Cillian Storm/Flickr
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Comments (50)
I'm not for or against breastfeeding (it's the mother's business and choice) but I LOVE that finally someone stepped in and put a stop to medical-related marketing. I mean our TV's are full of advertisements selling us a pill for everything you can think of under the sun. Go to the doctor's office and it's even worse (obviously). Everyone thinks they're sick or have a disorder thanks to pharma marketing execs...now moms think their breastmilk is unhealthy...please
I do support breast feeding and think it's the best choice, but I think this move is dangerous in a country like Indonesia, where there is little to no support for mothers who may be struggling with breastfeeding and just need an option to keep their child alive. That said, the child mortality rate has little to do with formula feeding, and more to do with lack of sanitation. Their mortality rates in all age groups are significantly higher than developed countries.
I agree with hoticedcoffee. I was unable to breast feed, I just couldn't produce enough. Therefore I turned to (obviously the devils choice) of formula. My baby is fine, hes now two and healthy. I think that formula marketing should be illegal in countries where water supply is contaminated, though.
My reason for not breastfeeding had nothing to do wiht formula marketing I could not breastfeed because I didn't have enough milk at 34 weeks and I was also put on meds to control my blood pressure from the preeclampisa I had. developed. It's up to the women if she choose to breastfeed or not.
Some of you are missing the point entirely. I'm assuming you live in a country where the water is at least somewhat safe to drink? Indonesia is a completely different story. Mixing formula with bad water can/does kill babies.
Breastfeeding is tough--especially in the beginning when the mom doesn't quite know what's going on. Formula can be a godsend, but I agree that in places with contaminated water breastfeeding needs pushed. Make some PAs on the subject, add a chapter to nurse training....something. Removing comercials doesn't help anyone at all. I've never spoken to a formula-using mom who made that decision based on an adorable baby in a commercial.
formula is a neccessary thing when a mother's milk or milk of another mother isn't an option. that being said those feeding rates need to be reversed especially in a country with tainted water, etc. it's sad that formula became a status symbol...do you really need to compromise your child's health to show off to the neighborhood? yes i know that formula isn't a death sentence when used properly but with all of the stunted growth rates & malnourished kids something is wrong here! WHO or some other organization should launch an education campaign to teach medical staff how to provide lactation support instead of formula samples!