Milk, Money, & Madness

But they don't necessarily give out samples to nursing mothers in the
hospital. I never got formula samples when I gave birth to DD (1997) or
DS (2003). I assumed it was because the charts said I was a nursing
mother.


They did to me in 2001 and 2003. I shoved it back in their faces in 2003, tho
:-) The nurse was begging me to take the can home JUST IN CASE.

Leanne wrote:
Whats the WHO code if you dont mind me asking?

In a nutshell, to stop formula advertising and free samples.

I'll try and dig it up later today. :-)

--
Brigitte aa #2145
edd #3 February 15, 2004
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/

"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
~ Harriet Martineau

They actually gave me 4 bags of formula when I left. And this was a
pro-breastfeeding hospital. Ugh.

"Bruce and Jeanne" But they don't necessarily
give out samples to nursing mothers in the
hospital. I never got formula samples when I gave birth to DD (1997) or
DS (2003). I assumed it was because the charts said I was a nursing
mother.

Jeanne

Leanne wrote:

Whats the WHO code if you dont mind me asking?

Here's a link to the home page of INFACT Canada which will explain the
different parts of the code:

http://www.infactcanada.ca/InfactHomePage.htm

Here is the link to the code itself:

http://www.who.int/nut/documents/code_english.PDF

(For some reason the first 2 pages don't show up for me but the third
page is the Table of Contents.)

--
Brigitte aa #2145
edd #3 February 15, 2004
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/

"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
~ Harriet Martineau

Jeanne ) wrote:

But they don't necessarily give out samples to nursing mothers in the
hospital. I never got formula samples when I gave birth to DD (1997) or
DS (2003). I assumed it was because the charts said I was a nursing
mother.

Maybe you were in a Baby Friendly hospital?

--Helen

In 1999 with my first dd I received many free formula samples, but she
had low blood sugars for 2 days so I had to give her formula at first.
They even tube fed her formula the first day. I am not sure if I
would have been given formula or not if she hadn't needed it at first.
Caitlin went on to actually have low diaper counts while I was still
supplementing her with formula because I was not giving her unlimited
amounts of formula, so we ended up needing some formula for the
duration.

In 2003, with Jessi I didn't get any formula samples at the hospital.
She only had 1 low blood sugar (I am diabetic), so they gave her 1
bottle of sugar water. She was fine after that, so I was allowed to
just bf her on demand. My doctors office did give us a free sample of
formula that had info about supplementing with it. I was happy to get
it because Jessi had really low diaper counts and got dehydrated, so
we again needed it. I was happy though that I never went on to
purchase any formula with Jessi, and was able to get off it before we
ran out of the free stuff.

I guess because we always have actually needed it at first I am
personally glad for the free samples, but I can see how it leads
people with less will down the path of weaning.

KC


DeliciousTruffles wrote in message ...
I just finished reading the book "Milk, Money, & Madness" and I wanted
to know if the bf'ing attitude has changed for the positive in the US
since the copy write date of 1995?

I was a very interesting book and a really good read. But, the book was
published after Clinton agreed to the WHO code, but just after. What
ever happened with the formula companies and the WHO code in the US?
Has Bush rescinded the agreement?

Just curious.

I never got formula samples when I gave birth to DD (1997) or
DS (2003). I assumed it was because the charts said I was a nursing
mother.

They did to me in 2001 and 2003. I shoved it back in their faces in 2003

I gave birth way back in 1991, and got no free samples in the hospital, or from
the pediatrician.


Naomi
CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator

(either remove spamblock or change address to to e-mail
reply.)

DeliciousTruffles wrote in message ...
I just finished reading the book "Milk, Money, & Madness" and I wanted
to know if the bf'ing attitude has changed for the positive in the US
since the copy write date of 1995?

I was a very interesting book and a really good read. But, the book was
published after Clinton agreed to the WHO code, but just after. What
ever happened with the formula companies and the WHO code in the US?
Has Bush rescinded the agreement?

Just curious.

We're way, Way, WAY out of compliance. Just recently saw a Nestle
Goodstart ad on TV, and they all advertise like mad in the parenting
mags. Also just found out that several of the most popular hospitals
for giving birth around here give formula samples to the moms.
AAAAAAAHHHH!!!! You can be *damn* sure that this summer when I start
my pediatrics residency if I find myself in a hospital that gives
formula samples I will have something to say about it, loudly and
incessantly either until it changes or I give up in exhaustion.

Kate
and the Bug, June 8 2003

Ooh, I would love to see those stats!!
"Leslie" wrote in message
...
I haven't read the book yet, but if we signed the WHO code we are
certainly out
of compliance! Formula is advertised/pushed everywhere--t.v., magazines,
doctors offices.

Most people I know who bf see it as a "good start" before inevitably
moving to
formula. NIP is vanishingly rare even among those who exclusively bf.
I'm in
the South, though, and I get the impression, hanging out here, that things
are
much worse where I am than nationwide.

BTW, does anyone know if there are stats on bf state by state?

Leslie

I got three different formula goody bags when I was in the hospital. It
wasn't a big deal to me. The one was labeled 'breastfeeding support kit'
or something like that, but had a can of formula in it. I just wanted the
free diaper bags to use for day care. There were some BF booklets that
were excerpts from the LLL book on breastfeeding (can't remember the
title) that I found helpful during the first few weeks. It had a handy
reference chart for causes of common problems.

And I, personally, wouldn't mind getting a free diaper bag . . . I could even
put the formula to good use by mixing it with baby cereal or something.

BUT I am absolutely committed to bf. There is not a snowball's chance in hell
that I am going to offer a bottle on a rough day. I don't even have any
bottles. The reason hospitals shouldn't give formula to bf moms is that it
undermines their confidence, makes them think it is likely that even bf moms
NEED formula.

Leslie