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Old Navy t-shirt

6K views 42 replies 35 participants last post by  corrabelle 
#1 ·
Apologies if this has been posted already...

http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/produc...scid=771696002

"window shopping" a couple of days ago I came across this onesie. Words fail me...

I'm drafting a note to Old Navy to express my disappointment and explain why I'll be shopping elsewhere from now on.
 
#27 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueLeaf View Post
while I don't agree with the sentiment of the shirt, I do understand why they made it and why people will buy it. Feeding our babies has become a contentious issue, with breastfeeding moms feeling pressure to cover, feed in private, etc. On the flipside, forumula feeding moms feel disapproval for their choices - look at every pro-BF'ing article, and how 90% of the comments are the "I can't BF!" sort. I see this as a reaction to the pro-BF'ing onesies for sale in certain markets. I think it's a way for forumla feeding moms to validate their decisions through their kid's shirt the same way BF'ing moms do.
I completely agree. Breastfeeding is a contentious issue and some women are really judgmental. It's natural that people would feel a need to react to that. Furthermore, it's not different than pro-bf shirts.
 
#28 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by eclipse View Post
I don't really think it's a big deal. If I had a baby that was fed formula, I might think it was cute. Just like I don't think formula feeding moms should be offended by "I love mama's milk!" type shirts, I don't get being up in arms about something like this. And I understand why a formula feeding mom (for whatever reason they aren't breastfeeding) would get offended reading some of the "reviews" of the product on the Old Navy site.
I actually disagree. My two oldest had to be on formula for medical reasons at different ages and I can't imagine putting this shirt on them. I would never be offended by pro-bf messages and shirts. I know some people are, but seriously? Everyone should know bf is better for most babies, though it's not always possible. As for formula feeding moms feeling disapproval-other than my own family and a couple friends I have met over the years, I have never met anything but horrendous disapproval down to sexual abuse comments for breastfeeding and around here, ff is the norm and you're a freak if you don't. I don't know anyone who feels they have to be defensive of it as it is normal here. I guess maybe it's a cultural thing? I can't imagine passing on the idea that formula is better or supercharges our kids. Maybe it's because I had to fight so long and so hard with each of my kids to breastfeed, though, and statements like this from a company I believed supported bf through their nursing apparel kind of outrages me.
 
#29 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Katrinaquerida View Post
I wrote a review too, this is what I said:

I have to express my disappointment in this shirt. Encouraging the use of formula and implying that it is superior nutritionally (formula "powered") is irresponsible. I would love to see a shirt that said "Powered by Mama's Milk". That is something my little ones would wear!

At least they got some feedback, even if it doesnt change much.
Well, I'm the dissenter here. I don't think the tee-shirt AT ALL implies that formula is superior to breastmilk. At most, it implies that baby gets energy from formula (which, I must say, is true... even if it's nutritionally inferior, babies still survive on it).

Some babies get formula. Some babies' lives are saved. And many women never even consider breastfeeding. That's how it is.

It's not our job to SHAME people into nursing or to turn it into something people can't talk about. It's our job to EMPOWER women into doing everything they can to nurse their babies.
 
#30 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by kittywitty View Post
I actually disagree. My two oldest had to be on formula for medical reasons at different ages and I can't imagine putting this shirt on them. I would never be offended by pro-bf messages and shirts. I know some people are, but seriously? Everyone should know bf is better for most babies, though it's not always possible. As for formula feeding moms feeling disapproval-other than my own family and a couple friends I have met over the years, I have never met anything but horrendous disapproval down to sexual abuse comments for breastfeeding and around here, ff is the norm and you're a freak if you don't. I don't know anyone who feels they have to be defensive of it as it is normal here. I guess maybe it's a cultural thing? I can't imagine passing on the idea that formula is better or supercharges our kids. Maybe it's because I had to fight so long and so hard with each of my kids to breastfeed, though, and statements like this from a company I believed supported bf through their nursing apparel kind of outrages me.
To the bolded - I just don't see that as what the shirt is saying in any way, shape, or form. I think there's validity to the arguments that shirts like this normalize formula (and I think it's fine to address those issues with companies that make or sell things like that), but I don't see anything about this shirt that says "formula feeding is better than breastfeeding." And I think it would be easy to read the outrage in many of those reviews as an attack against formula feeding parents.
 
#31 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by EdnaMarie View Post
Well, I'm the dissenter here. I don't think the tee-shirt AT ALL implies that formula is superior to breastmilk. At most, it implies that baby gets energy from formula (which, I must say, is true... even if it's nutritionally inferior, babies still survive on it).

Some babies get formula. Some babies' lives are saved. And many women never even consider breastfeeding. That's how it is.

It's not our job to SHAME people into nursing or to turn it into something people can't talk about. It's our job to EMPOWER women into doing everything they can to nurse their babies
.
 
#32 ·
There are 4.5 stars based on 6 reviews. All of the reviews I can see are saying YAY Formula. Old Navy must have deleted the other reviews.

You can report the rating for being inappropriate. I wonder if the pro-BF comments were reported and removed. Should it be removed from our website? If so, please let us know by clicking the button below. Your request will be sent to us and we'll take appropriate action.
 
#34 ·
I was looking for baby clothes and saw this a couple months back, and I was sad it was formula specific, b/c it excluded me (I wasn't finding a lot of cute stuff and the thumbnail had looked promising), but I saw it just as our culture's bottle-pervasiveness. Like, there are lots of onsies and things with jokes about bottles, and images of bottles everywhere. I think the ON designers were just being oblivious and part of that culture.
 
#37 ·
When DD was born, a distant relative of my DH (who I've never met) sent us a bunch of clothes for her. One of the items was a pink onesie with a picture of a bottle that said, "Formula for Success." I put it in the "donate" pile, but then changed my mind and threw it in the garbage.
 
#38 ·
Thats different.

I have a onesie from old navy I bought maybe 3 years ago for dd1. It says "milk addict" on it and has fake milk splashes. I know it doesn't expressly say breastmilk but i like it and it always gets a laugh from others when my girls wore it.

I am not personally offended but I think it looks weird to me.
 
#39 ·
weeeel,
*I* don't like it. But how many "boob man" shirts are out there? (which FWIW I am not a fan of either)

Come to think of it, I'm not a fan of writing on any shirt. Why does a passing stranger need to know your babies eating habits? Seems like wearing this shirt to a play date would cause things to get catty with a quickness.

Whatever,
I think it's goofy, but I think a lot of "witty tees" these days are goofy.
 
#43 ·
I really think this shirt was just a play on words. My nephew has that shirt-his dad is really into racing and thought it was cute and bought it.

Even if it weren't...It's a shirt. I see shirts all the time that bother me. I just don't buy them.
 
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