Activism request!!!

[Kavita]

Hi lactivists!

This one has bothered me for a long time and I hope we can send some letters/emails and perhaps get this corrected.

The Consumer reports website has a list of "newborn essentials" for prospective parents. I checked this all out when I was pregnant and looking at carseat ratings, etc., there.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/b...view/index.htm

I am not copying this exactly but you can check the link for the exact wording. Basically, it says that if you are planning to breastfeed, you will need:
-- 2-3 nursing bras
-- a box of washable or disposable breast pads
--a breast pump if you are planning to use one
--4 small baby bottles with newborn flow nipples for feeding expressed breast milk
--bottle drying tree
--bottle brush
--insulated bottle holder (the hospital may give you one)
--3 packs cloth diapers or burp cloths.
If you are planning to formula feed, you will need:
--6 4-5 ounce bottles, nipples, rings, and a dishwasher basket if you use one.


WTF????!!!! Why does the breastfeeding mom need all those bottle feeding supplies, but THE FORMULA FEEDING MOM DOESN"T????? It doesn't say that the bottle feeding mom will need those supplies in addition to the ones above, or anything like that--they are two separate lists. Why the burp cloths or cloth diapers??? My breastfed baby will be a year tomorrow and I can count on one hand the number of times she spit up! It's the formula fed babies IME who do a lot more spitting up. Breastfeeding moms don't all need a boatload of bottles, a drying tree, a bottle brush, a bottle holder, etc.! This whole list, even the way that the formula supplies are listed in one sentence under one "bullet" where the breastfeeding ones are all laid out as separate items, makes it seem like formula feeding is simple, easy, and you don't need much, but breastfeeding is complicated, inconvenient, expensive, and messy!! And of course, they don't even mention that you actually need formula to formula feed!!

Can we send some letters and set them straight?

[bbrandonsmom]

Marketing? Recall that article in Mothering about bottles in the US? Also most first time moms are so overwhelmed that they don't know all the facts about bf and think they "need" those bottles so dad or someone else can help feed baby. Though I think also that haveing those bottles at home can put pressure on a new mom to do exactly that, where as if there were no bottles, if you were having a nursing problem, they'd hopefully seek lc support instead of sending someone out for bottles and using them.?? Of course if you're going back to work, you'd need them if you're gone all day, perhaps that's why they're listed as well.
As a first time mom with ds I bought a pack because I didn't know any better and I didn't know if I had to go back to work. That's the only reason. We used them 2 days, then never again. But then I didn't go back to work either. But since they were in the house, I had a ton of pressure from my mil who was here as well, to use the bottle when we went out or so dh and I could go out. She really made bf negative for me while she was here-but I stuck to my guns about not using them.

[rmzbm]

Oh, but it's so trueeeee, BFing is such hard work...
God, I am so SICK of this mentality! :

[Meiri]

I've never heard of a baby who didn't spit up at least a bit. Mine, exclusively breastfed, were capable of dousing me under the "right" circumstances.

I agree that that list for bottle feeding is woefully short, they need all the same stuff, except the pump, and then some.

[Kavita]

Well, I agree--babies spit up, how much varies from baby to baby. (I have been blessed by a really minimal spitter-upper!) But to suggest that breastfeeding mothers need 3 packages of cloth diapers or burp cloths but that formula feeding mothers just won't need that, implies that breastfeeding is a messy business and bottle feeding isn't. The whole thing just makes it seem like you need so much stuff to breastfeed, it's going to be a lot of work, but formula feeding, hey simple, this is all you need!

Okay, so I just wrote them my email, and here it is:

Dear CR,

I was recently looking over your list of "newborn essentials" on your website and was quite suprised and dismayed at the lists of "feeding essentials." As a breastfeeding mother of a one year old daughter, one of the features of breastfeeding that I love is that feeding my baby does not require mixing, heating, storing, washing, drying, sterilizing, trips to the store, refrigeration, etc. Breastfeeding is certainly the healthiest choice, but it is also a very convenient choice precisely because my breasts are all that I need to feed my baby.

However, your website has an eight-line checklist of equipment that a breastfeeding mother supposedly will need, including a bottle drying tree, a bottle brush, 4 bottles for feeding expressed breast milk, an insulated bottle holder, a box of breast pads, a breast pump if the mother intends to use one, 3 packs of cloth diapers or burp cloths, and 2-3 nursing bras.

In contrast, the list of equipment needed by a formula feeding mother is one simple bulleted line, stating that she will need "six 4-5 ounce bottles, plus nipples, rings, and a dishwasher basket if you use a dishwasher."

These lists imply that breastfeeding will require a lot of equipment, expense, inconvenience, and mess. It also assumes that every breastfeeding mother will use a bottle to feed the baby expressed milk. Formula feeding, in contrast, seems easy, simple, and convenient. I am suprised to see such biased and and inaccurate information coming from Consumer Reports! The only equipment absolutely necessary for breastfeeding a baby is breasts. Nursing bras are a good idea for many breastfeeding mothers, and some but not all mothers need nursing pads. However, bottle brushes and a bottle tree are bottlefeeding essentials, so I am baffled as to why they are listed as necessities on your breastfeeding list, but not on your bottlefeeding list! Breastfeeding doesn't necessarily entail pumping or feeding the baby from a bottle at all, so bottles should not be listed as a breastfeeding necessity for all women. I am also suprised to see that you don't recommend burp cloths or cloth diapers for formula feeding mothers, but you suggest them for breastfeeding mothers. Since breastmilk is more easily digested by the infant and breastfed babies take in less air while feeding, therefore they burp and spit up much less than formula fed babies--why therefore whould a breastfeeding mother require 3 packages of cloth diapers or burp cloths, but not a formula feeding mother?

In contast to the long list of items that a breastfeeding mother will need, your formula feeding list ironically leaves off the most critical item for a formula feeding mother--formula! This is quite important, since a bottlefeeding parent will need to buy hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of formula in their baby's first year. Formula is an expensive and far inferior replacement for mother's milk. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least a year, the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for at least two years, and the far-reaching benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child are well documented, so I will not ennumerate them here. I do request, however, that you refrain from biasing prospective parents against making the choice to feed their babies the most healthy, economical, and convenient way by providing incorrect information. Currently, your website seems to slant in favor of formula feeding, by providing new parents with a daunting and highly questionable list of "necessities" for breastfeeding while skimming over the issue of the equipment needed to bottlefeed with formula,

Sincerely,

[sapphire_chan]

Excellent letter!

[rozzie'sma]

Great letter

[Momtwice]

Great letter.

I think they included bottles under breastfeeding supplies because I believe the article was aimed at women who will continue to work outside the home after the birth. But by implying that all women will work outside the home, they make those of us who do not feel slighted and invisible.

[Serrendipity]

I like it!

Serendipity

[Amila]

Awesome mama!!!

[~*SugarMama*~]

Awesome letter! Hopefully, it will get some attention.

[Kavita]

Originally Posted by Momtwice

Great letter.

I think they included bottles under breastfeeding supplies because I believe the article was aimed at women who will continue to work outside the home after the birth. But by implying that all women will work outside the home, they make those of us who do not feel slighted and invisible.

That makes sense too, and I do in fact even have a breastpump and several bottles and a bottle brush in my possession! However, I didn't have them at the ready before DD was born, and it's not a necessity for everyone! I agree totally with you but I also don't understand why the basic formula feeding supplies are put onto the breastfeeding list but not the formula feeding list!

And do you know anyone who formula feeds a newborn who has only 6 bottles and nipples? Most people I've known who are formula feeding exclusively have about three billion!!

[leila1213]

These are interesting points on the list as well:

Diaper duty
_____Diapers. Disposable or cloth.
_____Diaper pail. (Optional with disposables.)
_____Diaper bag.

Keeping baby happy
_____Pacifiers.

The comparison between cloth & disposable diapers is not exactly thorough, but makes it seem like disposables are more convenient b/c you don't have to buy a pail. What about the wipes?

And automatically listing pacifiers as an essential to "keep baby happy" is an excellent way to sabotage breastfeeding in the first critical days and weeks.

[Amila]

My letter:

Dear Consumer Reports,

As a subscribing member to Consumer Reports, and also as a breastfeeding mom, I take issue with this section of your recommendations for “newborn necessities”:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feeding time
If you're planning to breast-feed:
_____Two or three nursing bras.
_____A box of washable or disposable breast pads.
_____Breast pump if you expect to use one.
_____Four small baby bottles with newborn nipples for expressed breast milk
_____Bottle drying tree.
_____Bottle brush.
_____Insulated bottle holder for diaper bag (the hospital may give you one).
_____Three packs of cloth diapers or burp cloths.

If you're planning to bottle-feed
_____Six 4- to 5-ounce bottles, plus nipples, rings, and a dishwasher basket if you use a dishwasher.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Although some moms may use the accessories you mentioned, most moms can get by with one thing: their breasts. All of the above mentioned items are simply convenience accessories that some moms may need or choose to use, and some moms may not.

Breastfeeding is such a wonderful gift to give your child that it is unfortunate a lot of mothers do not choose to nurse their babies in this country. If most mothers realized how easy, cheap, and above all superior breastfeeding is, maybe more moms would choose to do it. I feel that by providing this laundry list of eight lines of items “needed” to breastfeed your baby compared to the one line of items you list as necessities for formula feeding, it is saying to consumers that breastfeeding is costly and complicated, and formula feeding is easy and inexpensive, when it is quite the opposite. Even if only one mother is discouraged from breastfeeding by reading this information, it is a major disservice to both her and her child.

I simply do not understand why you would include many of the items listed for breastfeeding moms such as a bottle drying tree, bottle brush, insulated bottle holder, and cloth diapers and burp cloths, but not for formula feeding moms, especially since formula-fed babies often spit up more than breastfed babies. Also, you forgot to mention one major thing- formula! That in and of itself is the most costly thing for moms to consider.

I know that many websites and companies who claim to be objective resources are often sponsored or paid by formula companies, but I feel that Consumer Reports, as “an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves” needs to step up and provide accurate, unbiased information for something as vital to consumer happiness and well being as the feeding of a baby.

I hope you take this letter and opinion from one of your dedicated subscribers seriously and amend this important issue.

[Sustainer]

That is bizarre! Why wouldn't the bottle drying tree, the bottle brush, the insulated bottle holder, the cloth diapers and the burp cloths be on the formula list?? And the disclaimer "if you are planning to use" should be after practically every item on the breastfeeding list. You don't actually *need* anything to breastfeed except a baby and a breast. I agree that listing all the formula items on one line makes it look like it's easier/less complicated. Saying you need pacifiers to keep baby happy is the last straw!

If anyone gets a response from them, please post it!

[Needle in the Hay]

I can't imagine what use I would have had any of that stuff except for breast pads (for going out) when I was BFing. Not everyone pumps, so it should have read: "If you are planning to breastfeed and plan to pump"

A few cloth diapers that I kept aside from the rest of the CD stash were very useful, but not as burp cloths! I used them for the breast not in use, though you could use a towel, but the prefolds were softer and more absorbent.

[Kavita]

Okay, I did get a reply from them:

Dear (my name),

Thanks for taking the time to contact Consumer Reports®. It is always
a
pleasure to hear from our readers!

We appreciate your taking the time to write to us regarding our report
our
list of "newborn essentials". Your correspondence has provided us with
invaluable feedback on how we're doing. Please be assured that our
readers' comments and thoughts help shape the work we do. I will, of
course, forward your correspondence to the appropriate department(s)
for
their review and consideration for our future reports.

Thanks again for taking the time to write. Your interest in our work
is
greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

(name)
Customer Relations Representative

[idocrase]

I just saw this today: they haven't changed the site yet. This list really bothers me. I've been a past subscriber to CR - but seeing lists like this one make me question their integrity. They say they're non-profit, and not industry-funded - but this list is wholly slanted towards business.

I'd like to write. I've been trying to get to their "Contact Us" page, and found where it says "After scrolling through our list of FAQ, click on the gray Contact Us tab at the top of the page..." but there is no tab on my screen.

Does anyone have the link to share?

[Dinosaur_Mommy]

Originally Posted by Momtwice

Great letter.

I think they included bottles under breastfeeding supplies because I believe the article was aimed at women who will continue to work outside the home after the birth. But by implying that all women will work outside the home, they make those of us who do not feel slighted and invisible.

I certainly have NOOOO intention of making anyone feel slighted, I admire/envy women who stay home with their children BUT...

As a WOHM, I have to admit that my list of "supplies" in order to BF successfully was a freakin' mile long

Breastpump $$$
bottles
nursing pads
bras
milk storage bags
ice packs for storage
bottle cage for dishwasher
Formula when I just couldn't keep up with demand anymore
Lansinoh
bottle-carrying bag (for childcare)

But the other posters are correct that they should have specified that this list applies to WOHM and not ALL BF moms

[Kavita]

Originally Posted by Dinosaur_Mommy

I certainly have NOOOO intention of making anyone feel slighted, I admire/envy women who stay home with their children BUT...

As a WOHM, I have to admit that my list of "supplies" in order to BF successfully was a freakin' mile long

Breastpump $$$
bottles
nursing pads
bras
milk storage bags
ice packs for storage
bottle cage for dishwasher
Formula when I just couldn't keep up with demand anymore
Lansinoh
bottle-carrying bag (for childcare)

But the other posters are correct that they should have specified that this list applies to WOHM and not ALL BF moms

Very true--it requires much more "gear" when you are a WOHM/otherwise away from the baby. I think that a much better way to state this would be something like:
If you will be breastfeeding, you will need:
(nursing bras, breast pads, whatever.)
If you will be pumping milk for your baby, you will need:
(breast pump, carrying bag, bottles, milk storage bags, etc.)
If you will be formula feeding, you will need:
(formula, bottles, bottle nipples, etc.)

So it doesn't look like bottles and burp cloths are a necessary and inherent part of breastfeeding, as opposed to bottlefeeding! I did get one bottle when DD was about 2 months old, but she's probably had fewer than five bottles in her life, because I've been with her and it's just easier for me to feed her than to pump. I SUCK at pumping! I never leaked so I didn't need breastpads. Really, I think that spending too much on anything breastfeeding related except maybe a couple of nursing bras is a waste until you actually know that you need it. I had bought some nice flannel nursing pads and ended up returning them!