PhD in Parenting gives us a prime example of the many many ways that Infant Formula Companies are out there to sabotage every single breastfeeding mother they can get their grimy greedy hands on.
Sabotage
They want you to fail.
Their bottom line depends on it.
Have you ever heard of a wolf in sheep’s clothing? This is it.
Formula companies do not support breastfeeding. They want to sabotage you. They want to exploit any iota of doubt that you have, any moment of weakness to get you to try their product.
Breastfeeding Support Kits
A breastfeeding support kit from a formula company is like a vegetarianism support kit from a pig farmer.
A formula company offering a free formula sample is like a suicide prevention line offering a free bullet, just in case it doesn’t work out (via @mediamum)
Think that she's over exaggerating? Think that having that one little bottle of formula in the cupboard "just in case" isn't all that bad? It is. When my youngest daughter was born and we had serious latch issues, I, EVEN I the mega Lactivist got to the point where I was in such pain and so exhausted from nursing every 45 minutes all night long, that if I'd had a bottle of formula in the house I probably would of caved in and given it to her!!! And I'm an experienced breastfeeder!! How long do you think it would take for an inexperienced first time mom to cave in?
Blogs listing coupons and deals and the twitter personalities that support them have been going crazy lately supporting the Enfamil Breastfeeding Support Kit. According to Enfamil, it contains:
Utah Deal Diva, one of the Web sites listing the breastfeeding sabotage kit provides more detail:
- A sample of Expecta® LIPIL® DHA Supplement for pregnant and nursing moms.
- An excerpt from The Nursing Mother’s Companion, a useful guide with tips and suggestions.
- A sample of Enfamil LIPIL®, our closest formula to breast milk, should you choose to supplement.
**Note: seems there’s a question as to what the Breastfeeding Support kit contains, so I thought I’d answer. Kit contains; breastpads, a container for storing breastmilk in the fridge, a cool-relief gel pad thing that you can put in your bra when you’re engorged and yes, a sample of formula. Mine also contained a coupon for a FREE tube of A&D ointment, as well as several other coupons. Hope this helps.Do not order one of these kits if you want to breastfeed successfully. Perhaps it seems like they contain a few useful things. But having formula in your home is the best way to ensure that you do use it. Like chips in the cupboard when you’re trying to diet or a bottle of rum or pack of cigarettes lying around when you’re trying to kick the habit. They will be very appealing in a moment of weakness. It will be too easy to give up. When you are feeling desperate is not the best time to make an important decision like this. And yes, just one bottle can hurt.
Tonight, I did a few searches on Google to further research the topic and here is what I found.HERE to read the entire article on PhD in Parenting
First, I did a search on “breastfeeding” and got an Enfamil Ad.
Not what I was looking for, but at least not overly deceptive.It does tell you what the ad is for, what you are getting if you click.
But then I searched on “breastfeeding support” and found yet another link to Enfamil, this type pretending to be a link about breastfeeding support, but if you read the fine print it is about formula feeding.
Ah, okay.
Same thing from Enfamil, but in a different format, when I tried “breastfeeding help“. No Enfamil, soy-based formula is not breastfeeding help.
But then came the kicker. From Similac, also under “breastfeeding help” comes an ad asking you if you need “professional advice about your baby“. Do you see the word formula anywhere? No. But click on the ad and you arrive at the Similac Welcome Club page.
No, you didn’t read wrong. You were searching for “breastfeeding help“. The ad goes from suggesting you are going to Web site that will give you advice about your baby (presumably breastfeeding help?) to a page that says to a page that says:When it comes to fulfilling the nutritional requirements of non-breastfed babies during the first months of life, SIMILAC is closer than ever to breast milk.
Yep. Those Formula companies are just soooooooooo interested in helping breastfeeding mothers. I mean they donate all that free formula out of the goodness of their hearts, right?
*gag*
If you spot a gross infringement of the WHO Code and are as infuriated as I am, you CAN report them! Contact INFACT Canada and let them know the company and the advertisement/promotion that they are using.
If we all scream blue murder about these blatant disregards of the WHO Code, maybe someone will do something about it.... hopefully sooner than later!!!
