Comments on: Why Baby's First Gift Shouldn't Be Formula From the Hospital

By: GM In Israeli Food, Lots of It | Green Prophet

GM In Israeli Food, Lots of It | Green Prophet — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:10:51 +0000

[...] of course, includes vegetarian hot dogs and veggie shnitzels, not to mention baby formula and other food children grow up on. More basic staples, like cooking oil, are soy or canola oil, [...]

By: stephen.chen28

stephen.chen28 — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 06:46:44 +0000

this may entite the world ..thank you..

By: ukjobs

ukjobs — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:44:23 +0000

Companies then simply stamped the word "supplies" on their free samples, so in 1986 the WHA passed another resolution banning free supplies as well.Find more jobs: http://www.staffingpower.com/

By: ukjobs

ukjobs — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:44:23 +0000

Companies then simply stamped the word "supplies" on their free samples, so in 1986 the WHA passed another resolution banning free supplies as well.Find more jobs: http://www.staffingpower.com/

By: Hannah Katsman

Hannah Katsman — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 05:42:57 +0000

Israel has never put the Code into law, and the violations seem to be getting more blatant.
http://www.greenprophet.com/2009/08/09/11245/maccabi-health-fund-gives-out-free-formula-to-new-mothers/

Ted, I updated the post and I appreciate your comments. I recommend globalbreastfeeding. org to anyone interested in the subject.

By: Ted Greiner

Ted Greiner — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:56:01 +0000

Actually, it’s called the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes and was passed by the World Health Assemby (for which WHO serves as the secretariat) in 1981 with the only “no” vote coming from the USA at Ronald Reagan’s personal insistance (causing one official from USAID and one from the State Department to quit their jobs).

Voting did not make a country a “signatory” obliged to do anything, as it was a voluntary Code; countries had to pass their own laws to bring its provisions into force.

The Code itself banned “free samples” but allowed charitable “free supplies” which by definition have to be given free to a given child for as long as that child needs it. Companies then simply stamped the word “supplies” on their free samples, so in 1986 the WHA passed another resolution banning free supplies as well.

Abbott Labs bragged in an annual shareholder report (back before it was getting public criticism) that 95% of mothers who got free samples of Similac in hospital went on to buy the product. So one can see how commercially effective–and unethical–free samples are.

By: Hannah Katsman

Hannah Katsman — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:55:13 +0000

EMP,
Thank you for sharing your story–I’m sorry to hear about what sounds like a frustrating experience. I am glad that your daughter is growing properly now.
I want to comment on what you wrote– perhaps it will be useful for others or yourself, if you are planning to have another child. If a baby is not gaining weight it’s important to be in contact with a lactation consultant and a doctor and follow up regularly. If a baby needs a supplement a mother’s own milk is preferred, if available. Low weight gain can affect the baby’s development.
Except in extreme cases, a mother’s diet has little relationship to the quality and quantity of her milk. Changing the mother’s diet does not increase milk supply. (By the way, formula company brochures often recommend unnecessary and restrictive diet suggestions for breastfeeding mothers.) Low weight gain is most often related to latch-on problems and/or poor breastfeeding management (scheduling feedings or stopping them in the middle,). Occasionally there may be anatomical or hormonal issues.
There are many ways to build up milk supply, depending on the reason for the low weight gain.

By: EMP

EMP — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 05:43:59 +0000

I LIVE IN BROOKLYN NY WHEN I LEFT THE HOSPITAL I GOT A BAG WITH SAMPLES THEN I SIGNED UP FOR THE CLUB AND THE COMPANY SENT ME SAMPLES ALL THE SAMPLES WERE PUT AWAY FOR AN EMERGENCY. AT MY BABY’S 2 WEEK CHECK UP MY BABY WAS NOT GAINING ANY WEIGHT SO I WENT TO A LACTATION SPECIALIST THEN AT HER 2 MONTH CHECK UP I WAS TOLD THAT SHE STILL WAS NOT GAINING ENOUGH WEIGHT I STARTED TAKING VITAMINS ATE FOOD LIKE YOGURT, ALMONDS, AND OTHER FOODS THAT IS SUPPOSED TO THICKEN BREAST MILK AT 3 MONTHS MY BABY ONLY GAINED 2 POUNDS AND I WAS TOLD TO GIVE HER A BOTTLE A DAY STILL HARDLY ANY WEIGHT GAIN BY 4 MONTHS I WAS TOLD BY HER DOCTOR TO STOP BREAST FEEDING AND GIVE FORMULA I WAS SO HAPPY I HAD THE SAMPLES ON HAND SINCE FORMULA IS SO EXPENSIVE I EVEN GOT SAMPLES FROM MY SISTER WHO BREAST FEEDS HER BABY SO IT IS GOOD TO GET SAMPLES.