Formula, for Disaster
May 23, 2007 by Amy Spangler | 2 questions or comments
For those unfamiliar with the proposed ban, it was the focus of a previous post on baby gooroo®, and reflects efforts by the NYC Health Department to expand its good-parenting-campaign in an attempt to get more moms to breastfeed.
Zajfe reports that other states have taken similar action after data showed that distribution of free formula by hospitals is associated with lower rates of breastfeeding after hospital discharge.
While Zajfe acknowledges that “breastfeeding is ideal” her reiteration of her own birth and breastfeeding experience demonstrate the extent to which personal experience can cloud sound judgment.
According to Zajfe, “By Day 4 in the hospital, I was a wreck from the pain of the C-section and from trying to nurse with cracked, bleeding nipples that weren’t producing milk….The formula samples were a godsend.”
One can only guess at Zajfe’s opinion on the free formula ban had her birth and breastfeeding experience been positive. Nonetheless, Zajfe is missing the point of the ban. The role of health care providers is to provide health care. It is not within their scope of practice to distribute samples or serve as sales representatives for for-profit companies. It doesn’t matter if the samples are cotton swabs, hand lotion, health food bars, or infant formula. In addition, has Zajfe ever considered why “formula manufacturers are more than happy to provide samples.”
Zajfe is only partially correct in her assertion that, “Bottle-feeding versus breastfeeding is a personal choice.” The fact is women make infant feeding decisions, not choices. A choice implies that infant formula / bottle-feeding and human milk / breastfeeding are equivalent, yet even Zajfe acknowledges “all the evidence in favor of breastfeeding.”
I agree wholeheartedly with Zajfe’s assertion that, “Hospitals and governments alike should support a mother’s right to decide what is best for her and her child.” But if informed decision making is the goal of all health educators (hospitals and governments alike), how does Zajfe reconcile the distribution of free samples which represent outright product endorsement, with the right of mothers to decide what is best? And incidentally-nothing is free-the cost of samples is reflected in the cost of the product.
Rather than attacking the ban, Zajfe and others who value women, children, and families would be advised to target the real problems (1) skyrocketing cesarean section rates, (2) parents’ and health professionals’ lack of breastfeeding knowledge, (3) lack of hospital and worksite breastfeeding support, and (4) most importantly women’s lack of confidence in their ability to give their children the best possible start.
Did Ms Zajfe have a lactation consultant to assist with latch, help increase milk supply via pumping? If all the money spent on distribution of bovine based formula was spent on breastfeeding education and assistance we would all be better off. There is no free lunch and indeed there is no free “formula”. All things come with a price. In this case it is the innocent baby who pays the ultimate price.
I hope nobody tars all cesarean mothers with the same brush as Zajfe does. I had a cesarean and the first few days were difficult (not only due to a delay in the milk coming in but to an unsupportive head nurse, who may have caused the delay in the first place), but I managed to breastfeed my daughter exclusively for six months and am still nursing her now at 18 months with solid foods.