[*Cyndee*]

No more Massachusetts maternity hospitals are still offering free infant formula gift bags to new mothers, a milestone welcomed by breast-feeding advocates.

Public health officials tell The Boston Globe all 49 birth facilities in the state voluntarily eliminated the giveaways by the beginning of July.

Massachusetts tried to end the free formula practice with a statewide ban in 2005. The decision was overturned several months later when Gov. Mitt Romney replaced some members of the council that approved the ban.

Studies have shown that breast-feeding mothers who receive free formula are less likely to be breast feeding by the time their infant was 1 month old.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers exclusively breast-feed for the first six months to provide babies with protection against many illnesses and allergies.

[TheMommyProject]

I personally, don't agree with this. I'm definitely in the camp of breast is best, but, formula is not evil or illegal, so I would really appreciate it if it would stop being potrayed in that way. There are many reasons why formula may be used by some mothers, either for supplementation or in whole due to medical issues or *gasp in sarcasm* by choice. Why can't those mom's enjoy a freebie and why aren't those companies allowed to promote their legal product? I don't get it, but then I rarely get any extremist opinions on anything.

[kimmiejo]

^^agree completely

[mylene169]

I think that mothers who are choosing to use formula should still have access to them. For me it's about the "Okay you're leaving now! You've been doing great at breastfeeding the past 2 days but here's a great bag with samples of formula for *insert wink* just in case!" It's a defeating feeling for a lot of women who aren't as confident in their ability to nurse as they should be.

[TheMommyProject]

Mylene, I get your point, but then it really comes down to education. A new mom should be leaving the hospital informed/educated and empowered to make the right choices for her new baby and if she were, they she wouldn't be so easily swayed (as the supposed "studies" suggest) to switch to formula. And if you are leaving knowing you don't want to use formula, than you can always respectfully decline the freebie.

When exactly did regulation start to trump education anyway? It's not just specific to this topic, it's happening all over the place and makes me kinda batty, to be honest.

[LisaMarie!]

I agreen with Gillian.

I agree with Mylene. I would like to see formula samples available for those women who ask for them and I would like to see some kind of breastfeeding bag available for those women who ask for them.

[*Cyndee*]

I agree with Gillian too. They don't force you to take it home, however they could rather ask if you wanted the sample rather than assume and stock the rooms with it.

[Nekinna2402]

I am actually completely okay with this. I remember thinking about it when i got free samples from my gynob, hospital and where not from... I actually felt a bit pressured almost to breastfeed, the hospital gave her some formula without my content too. Had it not been for my wish to make it work, i'd have caved in and given her some formula, it does lay in the back of your head that you have it laying around it so makes it easier to start giving it.
of course, being well informed about the benefits and all help but sometimes, it can be a bit much to give yiu the formula if you have already informed them that yiu plan to bf. There is no need wasting it either by giving it to someone who dont need it/want it.

Ignore the typos, on the nook atm.

[bostoncreampie]

Woo hoo, gotta say I am glad to be back in MA. I am happy about this.

No one is disallowing mothers to formula feed their children, they are simply not advertising it by handing out tons of samples and freebies which have been proven to impede breastfeeding success rates. Why would a hospital, which exists to maintain health and wellness, promote something that is proven to prevent something that is healthier? And it's not like Massachusetts hospitals are banning formula completely and making babies go hungry if they don't get breastfed... if a mother wants to formula feed her baby in the hospital, she may.

And for the record, many of the hospitals decided to stop giving away formula samples not only because they didn't want to interfere with breastfeeding success rates, but because they didn't want to hand out advertising in bagfuls to new parents. It's tacky. Aside from the formula vs breastfeeding debate, I can't stand all the advertising that pregnant and new parents are flooded with. "Whether or not free formula swayed some mothers to stop nursing, those free brand-name formula samples may have ultimately led to increased expenses for parents -- to the tune of $700 a year -- for those who stuck with the initial pricier brands, such as Enfamil and Similac, instead of switching to a cheaper generic formula, according to an analysis performed by the Coalition." Whether we like to admit it, we are swayed by advertising, and free formula sample brands that are given out at a hospital are going to be deemed as more superior to others simply because they were associated with the hospital, when that hospital may not view that formula brand as superior to others.

I think it's also worth noting that all the hospitals did so voluntarily, and the media reaction to it has all been totally positive here in MA.

[TheMommyProject]

Giving away formula samples is no more "tacky" than dentists giving away toothpaste or grocery stores handed out free food or coupons.

Just because somebody offers, doesn't mean you need to accept it. People need to use their brains, make informed decisions and live with the consequences. Every individual needs to take responsibility for their own decisions and stop expecting others (formula or any other company) to do it for them.

Originally Posted by TheMommyProject

People need to use their brains, make informed decisions and live with the consequences. Every individual needs to take responsibility for their own decisions and stop expecting others (formula or any other company) to do it for them.

The problem is that this doesn't happen. And part of the reason why is that advertisements and society have brainwashed people into just believing whatever is being advertised, whether that is best or not.

[bostoncreampie]

^^ exactly.

Statistically speaking, advertising works. It's hard to advertise breastfeeding, which is the other alternative to formula feeding. So by only presenting one option, hospitals are subliminally encouraging that one. You may not think you are the kind of person who is effected by advertising, but that's not what statistics say.

And while I also hate coupons being given away at dentists and grocery stores, I feel that formula SAMPLES and bottles given at a hospital to take him with your newborn is different; it's done so at a critical and stressful time when mothers want to give up on something that was personally harder for me than labor and delivery.

I had my cabinet stocked FULL of free formula after Walter was born, given to me from hospitals and the pediatrician. I can tell you that on numerous accounts, in the wee hours of the morning while I sat crying and desperate for my baby to nurse, I would go to the cabinet and look at them, panic and want so badly to give in. It was a terrible source of anxiety for me, having them there as such an easy solution to my issues. And I did give in on a few occasions, and I do think it made things worse.

I learned the second time around and never accepted anything. If it's not there in your deepest moments, it's easier to fight through the trouble. A husband can always run out and buy formula at the store. But to have it so conveniently in front of you when you haven't already made a cool headed decision about it, isn't fair to moms who are informed and have goals and hopes but are stressed, sleep deprived, and wanting to give up even though they know they shouldn't.

[*~~Shannon~~*]

I'm ok with people having the option to take home some samples if they want. I do not however like seeing how much is pushed all the time. With Liam I got probably 5 sample cans and 2 packages of the packets. In the wee hours of sleepless nights, DH gave him formula because I didn't have enough milk frozen. It was just so easy to do with it just sitting there. Same went for working. I didn't push as hard to pump enough because there was always formula for back up. I think it did make a difference. By the time Liam was 6 months old, about half the bottles he got while I was at work were formula, by 9 months they all were, about a month later, I was dry. As a first time mom, I didn't know what to expect, but told myself when I took the samples they were just back up and I probably wouldn't use them. With Emerson, I chose not to accept the samples. I didn't want to fall back on it again. Now at 17 months, we're still nursing. Were the samples the only difference? No, but they were a factor for us.

Typos courtesy of my "smart" phone.

[spicymustard]

My hospital gave huggies samples. Am i the only one whose hopital did this? There was no formula to be seen there.

At the ob office i just said no thanks when they offered free samples. No biggie there.

[Leah1216]

I am from Massaschusetts. Delivered both my girls in a Boston hospital. With my oldest I received free samples and a diaper bad. Last year with LO I received nothing. What was strange last year was that the nurses kept pushing me to formula feed. Saying her sugar levels were down and she was jaundice. I really had to stick to my guns. It was so much different from the first time when the strictly enforced breast feeding.

Getting thoses free samples didn't sway me either way. I knew I was going to put every effort into breast feeding. However, when my oldest was 3 weeks old I was rushed to the hospital. I was happy that I had those samples at home.

Strictly enforced was meant to be strongly encourage but, my iPad had other ideas : )

[TheMommyProject]

Originally Posted by noworries

The problem is that this doesn't happen. And part of the reason why is that advertisements and society have brainwashed people into just believing whatever is being advertised, whether that is best or not.

This is really the issue then, and not the giving or not giving of samples. We (society) should be more focused on educating people against "brainwashing". To be honest though, I'm not even sure that is the real issue and is kind of a cop out that helps support a society that is turning into a bunch of individuals who don't take repsonsibility for their own actions. Is it the companies fault that somebody is brainwashed or is it that persons fault for allowing themselves to become brainwashed?

If the hospitals are doing their job properly, they would be providing support in the early days of breastfeeding and educating it's benefits, while offering formula as a viable alternative in certain situations. If they're doing that, then offering a sample or two shouldn't really matter. I would much rather a new mom know she has alternatives then be home crying and stressed with a screaming baby that isn't getting enough food because she's been "brainwashed" to think that formula is bad for her baby.

The thing is, breastfeeding is hard for those first few days, weeks, or in my case, 6 months. But, it was really important to me to be able to breastfeed and it doesn't help when everyone, including medical professionals, are telling me to just give formula.
I agree that hospitals should be providing the support and education that breastfeeding moms want and need, unfortunately, that just doesn't happen in a lot of places.
Sometimes, in order to get back to middle ground, the pendulum has to swing to the complete opposite direction of what it has been. In this case, formula has been pushed far too much and in order to get back to a normal state where women are given support and education in order to breastfeed, but formula is offered when needed (right now it is offered even when it's not needed), the pendulum may need to swing to the other side for a while where breastfeeding is pushed for really hard.
And as far as whose fault it is that someone becomes "brainwashed", I agree with you to a certain extent, but if we get rid of the advertisements and falsehoods, then we don't have to worry about it to begin with.

[TheMommyProject]

Carrie, you're a good example of the point I'm trying to make. Because breastfeeding was so important to you (as it was to me, for the record), you made the choice to do that, regardless of the challenges and despite any effort to try and persuade you otherwise. So if you (and many others that I know) were able to do that, why can it not be assumed than every mom can do that?

Bottom line here (for me anyway) is giving a sample of anything doesn't in any way obligate the recipeint to accept or use it. If you're an exclusively bf'ing mom, then turning down a formula sample should be easy. If it's not, the problem isn't with the formula company or the hospital, it's with you.

[bostoncreampie]

Originally Posted by TheMommyProject

Is it the companies fault that somebody is brainwashed or is it that persons fault for allowing themselves to become brainwashed?

No one is talking about brainwashing. Advertisements influence our ideas, if even on a subconscious level. We shouldn't be totally responsible to protect ourselves from any sort of influence. Also, as I stated previously about my own experience, many moms set out to breastfeed but are given a huge diaper bag full of freebies when they leave the hospital and end up putting the samples on the shelf because they don't want to waste it, or because they are told to keep it on hand just because you never know. And in their hormonal, post partum lows they are tempted to give in to something that is detrimental to a healthy breastfeeding relationship out of impulsivity. If you are going to give up on breastfeeding, at least do so with a clear mind and go out to the store yourself to buy the formula. I don't think my situation or many others has anything to do with being brainwashed, and I certainly don't hold it against new moms who are in similar situations for not being more informed in knowing that they could hit a low and reach for the formula and put themselves in a downward spiral with breastfeeding because of it. No new mom can predict that, it's no ones fault.

Originally Posted by TheMommyProject

I would much rather a new mom know she has alternatives then be home crying and stressed with a screaming baby that isn't getting enough food because she's been "brainwashed" to think that formula is bad for her baby.

That statement is a bit offensive too. Moms don't reach for formula in moments of stress because their baby isn't getting enough food, and that they've been brainwashed to think formula is bad for their baby. Some moms have done research, have great intentions and goals, and want to succeed in giving their babies what's best, and when the free formula bottles are packed in formula endorsed diaper bags that moms go home with from the hospital, it is just way too tempting. And for you to say that they should be stronger than that is a bit harsh, in my opinion. Especially new moms who can't yet forsee those kinds of struggles. As Shannon and I have mentioned, we learned after the first time and didn't take any samples after the second baby. But it's not really fair to expect new mothers to be smarter than that.