Mass. bans formula (ETA: In gift baskets)

Mrs.adambabycakes

Massachusetts bans formula in hospital gift baskets in order to promote breastfeeding.  What do you think?  I think taking away a feeding option is the wrong way to go about promoting breastfeeding.  I was lucky enough to be able to bf. What about extended hospital stays and bf-ing is not working out?  Discuss?

RayRay007

Well I don't think they're banning it from the hospital altogether, you just have to ask for it instead of it being given to you right up front.

ASmallWonder

My understanding is that this only means they won't send you home with samples of formula.  They can't stop you from formula feeding while in the hospital.

alleykattz

Your title is a bit misleading there. They just banned giving away free samples. You are free to bring your own. If you make the decision to formula feed ahead of time, bring it to the hospital. If you bf and it doesn't work out in the 24 hours you are there, send someone else to get some for you. 

Ms5586

RayRay007:

Well I don't think they're banning it from the hospital altogether, you just have to ask for it instead of it being given to you right up front.

If this is the truth, I'd be ok with it.  But ONLY if they also have at least 1-2 trained and certified LCs on staff to help moms.  I had to use formula because J wouldn't latch, and I didn't know what to do.  The nurses were pro-breastfeeding, but had no clue how to help me. 

sokmonkee3517

I think if they still have it available for those who request it but taking it out of a gift basket?  I don't see anything wrong with that.  Formula companies mail them out for free to new moms anyway.  Hospitals have to deal with the idea that they are promoting one formula over another anyway when they include them in a basket of goodies.

Wufroggy79

RayRay007:

Well I don't think they're banning it from the hospital altogether, you just have to ask for it instead of it being given to you right up front.

This.  Sounds like they aren't giving away the samples, but I would imagine you would be allowed to FF your baby.  If that is the case, I am okay with it.  The lack of freebies really wouldn't sway me to BF though, so back to the drawing board, Mass.

Titts McGeee

I can see both sides. I hope they do still give free formula to people who request it. We supplemented for the first couple of weeks and it was really nice not having to pay for it.

nosoup4u

It's still available, it's just not given in a gift bag. I think that's fine.

nanabanana06

Just means you won't be getting your little bag from Similac that has coupons and 6 2 oz bottles and nipples in them. Darn. I can live without it.

Mrs.adambabycakes

alleykattz:

Your title is a bit misleading there. They just banned giving away free samples. You are free to bring your own. If you make the decision to formula feed ahead of time, bring it to the hospital. If you bf and it doesn't work out in the 24 hours you are there, send someone else to get some for you. 

I apologize.  I watched a news story this morning.  It said they banned the gift baskets.  Still though, banning?  It just seems like BANNING is kind of a strong word to use. 

LuckyDad

Hospital gift baskets are a weird marketing thing I don't especially care for. Sure, free diapers are kinda nice, but I wouldn't miss them if they got rid of them all together.

nikip6454

I don't have super strong feelings on this but I do think putting formula in a hospital gift bag is promoting the use of formula.  I feel like there are plenty of people that would take that as the hospital says formula is the way to go.

 

 

kcisthebombdotcom

This is really unfortunate. I planned on BF so I had no formula at home. Well, my milk never came in, my kid wasn't producing nearly enough diapers and had dropped from 10lbs to 8.5lbs so formula was a medical necessity. I was grateful to have some extra formula for supplementing his diet. BF isn't an option for some moms, whether it be due to supply or due to medication they need PP. I think this is the wrong way to promote BF.

isacdimi10

Well see at my last hospital we got a Gerber gift bag with formula samples, huggies diapers box, etc.

Then the nursery had the 3oz formula bottles for the FFing moms.

If they stopped giving out the formula samples I got with the gerber diaper bag my heart wouldn't be broken. Whatever, not really that much anyway.

If they stopped stocking the nursery. I'd be pretty ticked, but I'd make sure to come with my own stash. It would actually probably be easier since I'm cheap and the kids get Parent's Choice stuff from walmart.

ETA: as for trying to make me want to BF, not a convincing stunt. I'll still FF my kid regardless of what the hospital gives me. 

mollybloom

Meh. I get it, I really do, but I don't like this.

I had a c/s. DD was 10lbs 9ozs at birth. My milk didn't come in right away and she needed a little more food than the average baby.

It would've been very hard to get to the store in those first few days for formula, while I waited for my milk to come in. I bled out quite a bit during the surgery and had trouble with the pain meds. I was grateful for the formula in the gift basket.

ali_bl-nov05

I think nothing of that, is not like babies will starve or anything. They will have formmula available, they just won't be receiving it as a gift.

Qtlplegs

I never got a gift basket.   Now I am bitter.  But anyway, I think MA is going too far with this.  You never know when you will to need to supplement or switch to formula for any number of reasons and I think having free samples takes some stress away because at least you don't need to run out to the store and can immediately feed your baby and you can try different formulas without having to buy them and waste your money.

AnonnAni

They had been working on this for a while and I hate the fact that it actually went through!!!!

When I had my son in 2010 and he WOULD NOT BF, and after two days the lactation nurse gave up and told me to give him formula, so what happens int hose situations where you haven't prepared to be formula feeding. The formula they send you home with is usually about a 3-4 days worth. That gives you SO time to get out and get formula. BUT what if it were a single mom!!! They are expecting single moms to have to take there newborn from the hospital to the grocery store for formula if the child doesn't BF. *smh* I think this is more then crazy!!!

honkytonk_kid

KC_13:

This is really unfortunate. I planned on BF so I had no formula at home. Well, my milk never came in, my kid wasn't producing nearly enough diapers and had dropped from 10lbs to 8.5lbs so formula was a medical necessity. I was grateful to have some extra formula for supplementing his diet. BF isn't an option for some moms, whether it be due to supply or due to medication they need PP. I think this is the wrong way to promote BF.

If you want to FF in the hospital they will give you formula.

If you cannot BF they will give you formula in the hospital.

If you ask for formula from the hospital, they will probably send you home with at least as much as you would have gotten in a free sample. 

If you cannot afford formula there are several options, including WIC.

I understand what you are saying, but research clearly shows that moms who want to BF and are given free formula samples have lower success rates. This is not about sticking it to FF moms, it's about helping BF moms. I think the long term effects of wanting to BF and it not working out outweigh the inconvenience of having to send someone or run to the store to get formula.

ATMmom324

Titts McGeee:

I can see both sides. I hope they do still give free formula to people who request it. We supplemented for the first couple of weeks and it was really nice not having to pay for it.

 

This.  When DD was a few days old we had to give her a little formula to supplement after BF to help with her jaundice.  I do think there should be more education on BF and how supplementation can affect your supply. 

[Deleted User]

I thought that it was voluntary anyway?

I just really don't care.  But I don't really get why hospitals agree to let corporate reps come in and market to their patients in any capacity.

I delivered in a "baby friendly" hospital, so I didn't go home with any samples, but I did get some in the mail.

MoonlitPlumeria

Our hospital brought me a new 2 oz bottle of Similac every day when they brought Z to me from the nursery. It helped me supplement until my milk came in and it helped to get Z to latch. I don't really see it as trying to influence people to formula feed rather than breastfeed. It came in handy for breastfeeding for me.

Kitiara5512

Ms5586:

RayRay007:

Well I don't think they're banning it from the hospital altogether, you just have to ask for it instead of it being given to you right up front.

If this is the truth, I'd be ok with it.  But ONLY if they also have at least 1-2 trained and certified LCs on staff to help moms.  I had to use formula because J wouldn't latch, and I didn't know what to do.  The nurses were pro-breastfeeding, but had no clue how to help me. 

This. They kept telling me I had the perfect nips for it, but C wouldn't latch, and I only had limited time with him in NICU anyway, especially since I was still in as being sick too. I had to make an appointment for a LC after I got out.

MintBerryCrunch

I'm an OB nurse in FL and I don't agree with it and it would be bad for our patient population. We have a lot of lower income moms who really count on all the help they can get. In an ideal world people wouldn't have kids they can't afford or would exclusively breastfeed because it's cheaper, but that's unrealistic for a lot of people from lower socioeconomic statuses. I have patients begging for formula because they need enough to get by until they get it through WIC. So we give them their extra formula from the hospital, plus the free gift bag so at least we know the baby is being fed, because in the end, that is the most important thing. We really don't want moms diluting formula excessively in order to make it last longer, as some people have done (and babies have died from it). If a BFing mom doesn't want the free formula, she can always donate it to someone who needs it. Breastfeeding is f'ucking hard for a lot of people and I've been in this field for a long time so I've seen just about every situation imaginable. We don't offer formula without consent but it should still be an option if people want it, as it's a totally valid feeding choice. It sucks for moms who want to BF, went to the classes and then find out they'll need to supplement for medical reasons and all they've heard about is how terrible formula is, (so terrible that some hospitals aren't allowed to give it out anymore!) and then they get massive guilt over it which is so unnecessary. The baby needs to eat. Feed it and don't feel bad about it. The end.

lollitots

My hospital was doing this when DD #3 was born 4 years ago. It wasn't a big deal. I had sent away for samples from the formula companies ahead so I had some (that I didn't end up using anyway) and they had some for the moms that wanted it while the baby was in the hospital. What I missed was the big bag that they used to send with it. That bag was great for various things. Instead I got a little bag with ice packets to hold BM.

judahsmommy1

GhostMonkey:

Joyce+Mike:

My hospital was doing this when DD #3 was born 4 years ago. It wasn't a big deal. I had sent away for samples from the formula companies ahead so I had some (that I didn't end up using anyway) and they had some for the moms that wanted it while the baby was in the hospital. What I missed was the big bag that they used to send with it. That bag was great for various things. Instead I got a little bag with ice packets to hold BM.

See, I don't think they should be able to promote either. They shouldn't be giving you things for pumping- isn't that evil too? 

For both bfing and ffing it's your responsibility to provide your child with what they need once they get home. Freebees are nice but saying, "that's just sticking it to FFing mom's" isn't really accurate. Formula should be provided in the hospital for babies who need it. I'm fairly certain that isn't changing. It is still a medical necessity for some babies and no state can (or should) force a woman to breastfeed. It's just that they're not sending you home with extra. (Unless requested??? I'm not sure on that part.)

I did receive some pumping parts in the hospital, but it wasn't a part of a gift basket. I needed to pump while I was there since my son refused to latch. Since the parts they provided can't be reused by another woman, I was able to take them home. 

Statistics do show that women who intend to breastfeed who are sent home with formula samples have lower success rates than those who don't. This is much more about trying to support women who want to breastfeed than it is about trying to convince women who don't.