Boycott Boppy!

[annettemarie]

Bet you thought they were breastfeeding friendly, didn't you? Well, so did I. When I learned that they would be sponsoring Liz Lange's Best for Mom, Best for Baby campaign that puts formula feeding on equal footing with breastfeeding, I emailed boppy at [e-mail] and expressed my displeasure. I received an email back today that said, basically, we don't support one product over another; we sell an ergonemtrically correct feeding pillow for all feeding methods, and it's a parent's choice. I can't post the email here, but I do still have it.

In other words, it it important for us to know that they don't really care what we feed our babies, as long as we buy their products. I wrote an email back, and will also be contacting Mothering and La Leche League, both of whom accept advertising from this company. I feel so disappointed, and duped. I thought they believed that breastfeeding was best. I was wrong.

[chersolly]

Thank for the info, annettemarie.

Mommas don't need a $30 nursing pillow anyways.


Best for mom, best for baby Why can't it be best for baby, best for momma? Why can't the ends of a baby come first?

: :

[ksmommy]

I am a breastfeeding momma and STRONGLY believe that is the BESt for the babies, but this is getting ridiculous. Everyone is entitled to do whatever they want and boycott whoever they want, but now we are boycotting the boppy pillows? What's next?

[Momtwice]

If you think it's ridiculous, you don't have to read the thread. Mothering and LLL have made commitments to supporting the WHO Code, which there have been many threads about here, if you want to understand that stance.

Annettemarie...where do I find more information about this campaign supporting formula as just-as-good? Is it in the web site you posted? I can't find it so far. Do they go against the WHO Code? Are they advertising to new moms at these fairs?

I'm on your side AM just looking for more info!

[JamesMama]

Awww, man...I love my boppy too! I didn't buy it, I got it as a baby shower gift...does that count

[Janice in Canada]

Annettemarie, this is interesting. I assume that you don't have permission to post the email?
I know a Nwy Yok LC who has had correspondence with Liz Lange and is currently in dialogue with Zero to Three, so along with the Avent thread, we have now heard from all four participants in this campaign.

If you are okay with it, I'd like to see the Boppy email, and share it with the LC only. Perhaps it might be interesting to Zero to Three to learn that Boppy is indifferent as to feeding choice, and that the Avent marketing person is actually trying to distance himself from the campaign - some "partnership" this is????

As I've said before, I think Zero to Three bears the most responsibility in this - in lending their name to a marketing campaign.

Janice

[Junebug]

we don't support one product over another; we sell an ergonemtrically correct feeding pillow for all feeding methods, and it's a parent's choice.

I thought mine was a big ol' waste of money anyway...
but I too, am annoyed with the idea that ff might be "best" for mom.
That is what they're implying, right?
Yeah, I understand that all babies need to fed but FFers get enough encouragement to do so from the formula companys (pushers )

[Momtwice]

Janice thanks for posting...Annette Marie it sounds like some of this is privileged info so I'll understand if you can't answer my first post above.

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by ksmommy

I am a breastfeeding momma and STRONGLY believe that is the BESt for the babies, but this is getting ridiculous. Everyone is entitled to do whatever they want and boycott whoever they want, but now we are boycotting the boppy pillows? What's next?

By all means, feel free not to boycott Boppy. You can even start your own thread singing the praises of the boppy pillow. I personally will not give my money to a company who acts as if they are promoting breastfeeding when, in reality, they don't care.

Really, what was your intention in joining in on this thread? To tell me why my idea of activism stinks? that it's "ridiculous"? How is that in any manner productive?

[annettemarie]

Momtwice, he Liz Lange campaign is something that was discussed here a week or so ago. Let me see if I can dig up the thread. Janice, I'll be happy to forward you a copy of the email.

[annettemarie]

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...ighlight=lange

Here is the original thread

[Momtwice]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...ighlight=lange

Here is the original thread

Oh, THANK YOU!!!

NOW I get it.

:

[annettemarie]

Sad, isn't it? I'm glad we have Janice and her buddy on the case!

[Janice in Canada]

Thanks annettemare, i got your email. I can see what Boppy is saying, they support moms in whatever choice they make. Which is really what we all should and must do. But they obviously can't see that a campaign that is telling moms that their own comfort and confidence is the *MOST* important thing, is defacto undermining breastfeeding, when we are living in a society that gives lip service to supporting breastfeeding.

This is a really sophiticated arguement to be making - you have to do alot of educating to get an uninformed person "get it" - to see that arguements of "choice" undermine breastfeeding. So in one aspect, it may make more sense to use our advocacy energy to work on things that are easier to explain to people (for now) like NIP, bfing laws, etc. Start with the easy stuff, leave the more subtle nuances for later.

I'm still not sure what the magntitude (impact) of this campaign will be. If some of the partners are feeling unsure about it, they may opt for an earlier end. I heard there was a very small turnout at the first event. Probably more security there, than customers. So I would hesitate to turn the media spotlight on this (ie a nurse-out) and inadvertantly give them more publicity than they would otherwise have gotten.

OTH, I'm getting excited about the Dr. Phil show. If he is contacting people like the City Councillor from Chandler that is supporting bfing, I think he may be smart enough to see that the "PC" side of this arguement, is quickly changing in our favour, and we might actually see him argue in favour of NIP. That's where I'd put my money right now.

Janice

(BTW, I'll be gone for a week - so you probably won't hear from me again till Friday the 19th)

[annettemarie]

I just thought it was unnecessarily... not antagonistic, I don't know what the word is I'm looking for... that she felt the need to tell me that they AREN'T actively promoting breastfeeding. Seemed like a fairly stupid thing to say to someone who was obviously a breastfeeding advocate.

[Vermillion]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

I personally will not give my money to a company who acts as if they are promoting breastfeeding when, in reality, they don't care.

Thanks for the heads up.

[soccerchic21]

Well I am glad I didn't spend money on the boppi pillow that I have. I am however prefering My Brest Friend instead anyway. It has a cool pocket for the remote or the phone or a book! :LOL Where were you on that one Boppi?

[Plummeting]

Originally Posted by ksmommy

I am a breastfeeding momma and STRONGLY believe that is the BESt for the babies, but this is getting ridiculous. Everyone is entitled to do whatever they want and boycott whoever they want, but now we are boycotting the boppy pillows? What's next?

They are sponsoring an entire campaign that promotes the message that formula feeding is as good as breastfeeding and that mothers should just do whatever seems easiest to them. Good grief, I don't want to support *any* business that promotes that message. This thread would never have been started if they weren't putting their money into that campaign. I don't give my hard earned dollars to companies who turn around and use some of that money to tell women that formula feeding is just as good a choice as breastfeeding. I really don't see how you can think it's ridiculous. And no, "we" are not boycotting anything. Every mama here is intelligent enough to make her own decision - it's not like we're a bunch of herd animals blindly following whoever is in front.

[Junebug]

moo!!

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by Junebug

moo!!

:LOL OMGoodness, this tickled me.