Formula coupons in pumping room?

[Morgana]

My workplace has a new pumping room. It's for one person and I believe I'm probably the only one using it. My DD is 18 mo old and I pump once a shift. My DH and I worked very hard over the past two years to make this room a reality although it was probably the new health care bill that made it happen. So, I've put a lot of my heart and energy into this. Earlier this year I became a CLC and I hope to become a LLLL and even an IBCLC one day. All that's just to give light to where I'm coming from...

Today I went to pump and found that someone had left coupons in there. One was for diapers and the rest were for Gerber Good Start formula. They were the kind of coupons that look like a check with instructions for the retailer to deposit them like checks. There's about $40 worth of them. I was a bit shocked to see them in a room that has a sign that says "Lactation Room". I understand that some women may want or have to supplement even if they pump at work. These could be valuable to them. On the other hand, a part of me thought putting them in that room was in bad taste. I took them. I should probably put them back in case someone wants them. I'll be bringing LLL fliers tomorrow but I'm conflicted on if I should put the coupons back. Thoughts? I probably should, right?

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by Morgana

I'm conflicted on if I should put the coupons back. Thoughts?

I wouldn't.

nak

[allisonrose]

I wouldn't return them either. Although perhaps leaving them elsewhere might help you feel better such as at a store on top of the formula in question. That way someone will still benefit from them but they won't be annoying pumping mamas.

[treeoflife3]

I'd honestly probably throw them away... Allisonrose's suggestion of putting them with the formula in a store is probably a much kinder one though....

but it is true that someone could potentially need them even if they have use for a lactation room - supplementing or drying up - but I can also see it working in the same way free samples sometimes work.... it becomes a point of tempation when the going gets tough.

[Aliy]

oh i'd toss them and keep doing it if more appear. but it might be nicer if you put them somewhere that could benefical.. like in the store or something

[proudmomof4]

I agree, putting the coupons out in a store shelf sounds like the friendlier variation but I still ended up with a different result of my thinking.
I had even thought of suggesting to drop the coupons off at a women's shelter, church ministry or something similar. However, the people there might not even be trained on "breastfeeding versus formula-feeding" - so, maybe not such a good idea.

Finally, the users (only you?) of the pumping / lactation room didn't ask for this kind of advertisement, so it's really not your responsibility to make sure those coupons end up in the right hands. Don't get me wrong: I'm all for sharing resources and helping people in need - but you're actually helping the company to market their product if you place it somewhere else IMO.

[heathenmom]

I had to go back to work when dd#2 was just 6 weeks old, but I continued to nurse and pump until she weaned at 22 months. I never could pump enough to give her breastmilk exclusively and had to supplement during the work week. I was completely committed to nursing (and wanted to nurse longer than we did ... she weaned herself), but would have been thrilled to have $40 in formula coupons.

Just another perspective.

[Youngfrankenstein]

Were these coupons a person just left there? I would take them to the store or pitch them. I do not believe they belong in the lactation room. I'm not saying this out of spite, truly.

I get $5.00 off coupons for Similac every few weeks and I mail them to an old classmate's wife. I asked on Facebook if anyone could use them and they could. So I've sent 4 or 5 so far.

I think we all realize that women have different choices and some woman have to or choose to suppliment, I don't think that has anything to do with this room designed nursing women a place to pump.

[Hannah32]

As someone who is headed back to work and is just not sure how much I'm going to get pumping, I would leave the coupons where they are. Some women have to supplement. Not everyone can pump out 8-12 oz a day. Taking the coupons out would be mean spirited, IMO.

[akind1]

I wouldn't pitch them. I don't pitch the ones I get in the mail, either. I know plenty of FF'ing mamas and know they could use them, so I pass them on to them.

Maybe it is a little odd to put them in a pumping room, but I would still try to find someone that *could* use them

[texmati]

Originally Posted by Hannah32

As someone who is headed back to work and is just not sure how much I'm going to get pumping, I would leave the coupons where they are. Some women have to supplement. Not everyone can pump out 8-12 oz a day. Taking the coupons out would be mean spirited, IMO.

this. How do you know someone didn't accidentally forget them there and will be back for them later?

[Youngfrankenstein]

Originally Posted by Hannah32

Taking the coupons out would be mean spirited, IMO.

I just don't see it like this. I assume the op doesn't want anything undermining the lactation room she has worked so hard to get done.

[heathenmom]

IMO, if someone's using a lactation room they're already pretty darn committed to nursing. Doesn't mean they're still not having to use formula sometimes.

Although I just realized I'm a hypocrite when it comes to this issue. At my first prenatal visit they asked "breast or bottle." I said breast and they said they had a gift for me. It was a diaper bag with a cardboard Enfamil sleeve around it. I asked them what was inside and they didn't know!! They opened it and YEP, a can of formula. I told them it was a ridiculous gift for someone who had JUST told them she'd be nursing, and they could keep it.

So there ya go, clearly I'm an indecisive mess. It's the hormones.

[JudiAU]

Hum. My immediate reaction would be to set them on fire. I would be SO ANGRY to find those in the lactation room. (yes, i wrote an angry letter to my hospital for offering me a "formula bag." But, on calmer reflection I am sure someone was trying to be helpful rather than undermine my breastfeeding or be spiteful.

Is this a shared space? Is anyone else using it? If it not shared than do whatever you want. If it shared, you might consider making an envelope that says baby coupons etc on it and tucking tin the corner.


Hum. But I probably would still throw them away. I think it is really rude. Wrong time, wrong place. If they want to give them away out them I the break room

[crunchy_mommy]

I would give them to someone who needs them, I get tons of formula checks for some reason & I give them to moms on freecyle who are already using XYZ formula anyway.

One solution to prevent this from happening again is having a designated place (NOT in the lactation room) that employees can put things like coupons, samples, ads, etc. Maybe a basket in the bathrooms or in the employee lounge or something. I don't know if your employer would go for that, but it would be as simple as sending out an (approved!) email saying something like, "There is now a bin in the cafeteria for anyone who would like to participate in an on-going coupon swap!"

ETA: If someone keeps putting them there & you keep taking them, that person will probably continue to put more coupons there since they think someone is using them...

[4Blessings]

I agree that it was in bad taste to leave them at that specific location. I'd move them to the breakroom.

[Evergreen]

I'm going to go with the clueless vote. Someone probably just had them, knew people with babies used the pumping room and figured they'd put them there.

[kriket]

my first reaction was "Taaaacky!"

But I have given away my fair share of those kinds of coupons. If they are the "cheque" ones like you describe, there should be someone's name on them. Maybe you could pull a "Oh you left these in the pumping room" her: "Oh, no, I left them there for someone who needs them" you: "You should leave them in the break room, that way more people will see them!"

[philomom]

I'd discreetly collect them and disappear them at home.

[jeanine123]

Why should formula coupons be permitted in a room that is dedicated to women who are pumping their breastmilk? Isn't that rather counterproductive? I'm sure there are many other places in this workplace (breakroom?) that these coupons could be left instead of in a room targeted specifically towards moms who are BFing. IMO this isn't much better than free BFing "success" bags that are full of formula samples and coupons that have been proven to undermine BFing relationships.