Something I've noticed recently about formula commercials

[minkajane]

I've always seen formula ads and commercials in the past have little disclaimers that breast is best. Those seem to have disappeared. I've looked at magazine ads and there's nothing on them. I used to see something similar on the cans of formula and I don't see it anymore. All it is now is "we have blah blah blah JUST LIKE BREASTMILK" and "broken down proteins JUST LIKE BREASTMILK" and "ALL babies deserve the DHA in our formula."

Is it just me? Or is it that since the WHO code isn't enforced, they don't even bother pretending anymore? I see a lot of store brand formulas with babies on the label too, which is one thing the big names only do with the "follow-on" formulas. Why the difference?

[haydn'smommy]

Formula commercials annoy me. Last night the one for "Gerber Good Start formula" came on and, being in a bad mood already, I yelled at the TV, "But it will never be as good as breastmilk!!!!" and turned it off. LOL. I don't get how they can compare any formula to breastmilk. There is nothing about formula that will ever be as good as or better than breastmilk for a baby or toddler.

[Mom2M]

Yes! The Good Start one is the worst I've seen. It really says that it is just like breastmilk and there is no mention of breastfeeding being best.

[Youngfrankenstein]

What do you expect? They're trying to sell their goods. You don't see Pizza Hut selling pizzas and saying "veggies are best" in small print.

It is so sad the formula is seen as "no big deal". In the same way millions of families get pizza once a week and it's normal, so is not nursing.

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by Youngfrankenstein

What do you expect? They're trying to sell their goods. You don't see Pizza Hut selling pizzas and saying "veggies are best" in small print.

It is so sad the formula is seen as "no big deal". In the same way millions of families get pizza once a week and it's normal, so is not nursing.

Exactly. You don't see McDonald's saying, "but you should eat a salad or fresh fruit and veggies" on their commercials. It's marketing pure and simple.

[arianascrunchymama]

the formula commercials upset me, too!!! There is one BFing commercial that airs occasionally and I get so excited when I see it. It's the one for Medela and says that breastmilk is THE best thing for your baby.

Formula commercials always show chubby, giggling, happy babies and the one Bfing one just shows the mom Bfing and smiling serenely down at her LO. But I guess there is no good way to depict the MANY benefits of nursing other than the superior nutrition. You can't show a mom's heart swelling the first time a baby takes instinctual pulls at her breast for the first time. They can't broadcast a sleep mom laughing at her newborn shaking it's head side to side excitedly and head bobbing on a mother's chest seeking out the breast. I'd be impressed if they could show a screaming toddler instantly soothed and quieted by the breast before falling into a deep sleep!!!

Formula cans do say in small print above the bar code I think that breastmilk is perfect food for an infant but I had to squint and search for it on the can in the grocery store.

[myk]

Originally Posted by AFWife

Exactly. You don't see McDonald's saying, "but you should eat a salad or fresh fruit and veggies" on their commercials. It's marketing pure and simple.

yeah, but when you're eating mcd's you KNOW you're eating crap. some people HONESTLY don't know there's that much difference between milk and formula. i had people try to convince me that formula was better, and that was BEFORE my kid was a year old! i bfed til she was 4. i bet all those ignorant people would faint if they read this