Hospital Gift Bags
February 28, 2007 by Amy Spangler | 2 questions or comments
Deborah Kaplan, Assistant Commissioner for Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health, announced that New York City public hospitals will be joining other hospitals nationwide in halting the distribution of gift bags containing infant formula samples to new mothers.
NYC’s action was prompted, in part, by data from a 2006 study by the Government Accountability Office that found lower breastfeeding rates among mothers who received free formula samples compared to those who did not.
Since the 1980s, the World Health Organization and UNICEF have urged countries worldwide to take steps to increase breastfeeding rates and stop aggressive marketing of infant formula. These steps include the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative.
More recently, breastfeeding advocates have organized a Ban the Bags campaign, calling upon hospitals to take the ethical high road and “market health and nothing else.”
Hospital gift bags have been an integral part of the formula industry’s marketing strategy for decades. And with $3.5 billion-a-year in revenue at stake, the industry is unlikely to halt the distribution of gift bags willingly. Stay tuned, there’s definitely more to come.
A United Nations (UN) official harshly criticized the baby milk (infant formula) industry for manipulating UN data to protect their huge profits.
“The aggressive marketing practices by milk companies contribute to misleading the public by claiming that breastfeeding can not be done by a majority of women and that milk company products raise healthy, smart, and happy babies.”
http://newsblaze.com/story/20070227161559tsop.nb/newsblaze/TOPSTORY/To p-Stories.html
Hi,
I am the mother of a 3 month old and a 22 month old. With my older child, I was given forumula, “just in case.” I breastfed my daughter until she was 14 months old, but the beginning was very hard. I did give her formula once during the first few days after I got home from the hospital, because I was so sore and it hurt and I was so worried she was not getting enough to eat.
If the formula was not at home, I realize now I would not even have used it!
When I went back to work with my first child, it was so hard. I pumped 3-4x a day and I was constantly carrying so much stuff - plastic bags, breast pump, cooler for storing my milk. I looked for somthing (aside from the pump-n-style totes) to carry everything in and still look somewhat professional.
I could not find anything, which led me to think that I would like to design something for working moms to easily carry everything needed for pumping.
Is this something other mommies want, need?
How do you transport everything you need to pump while you are away from your baby?
If you have a bag or tote, does it work for you?
Can you suggest ways to improve it?
Any comments from other mommies will help me in deciding if this is something I should pursue.
Thanks!
PS. Baby two is still breastfeeding! I plan to continue as long as possible. Thanks so much.