Get them hooked first...

[myfairbabies]

I saw an ad of craigslist from a mother begging for formula coupons. How can these companies solicit new mothers? I just don't understand. Get them hooked on free or cheap formula, and then when their milk dries up, stop sending it to them. This part especially stood out to me

I used to get these in the mail and now it seems like they just do not come anymore...I depend on coupons and checks to help me pay for formula.

Maybe if she didn't get these things when she was pregnant, she would have breastfed. She was probably also uneducated and unsupported, but if formula was just too expensive, maybe she would have given it a shot.

Here's the link, http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/bab/298317037.html

[treqi]

wow thats really sad

[Janice in Canada]

Wow - thanks for bringing this request to our attention. This is great evidence of the damage that formula sampling can cause.

I'm going to share this with Lactnet (list for Lactation professionals) and this would be great to add to the package of information we need to prepare to send to legislators when we forward them our formula samples. This kind of post can also be used to educate about the potential danger in supporting food banks or organizations to do formula drives.

There are so many peices of the this puzzle coming together here on MDC right now, we need to do something about it.

Janice

[SPOpa]

Sad but not surprising.

[My4Boys]

Originally Posted by SPOpa

I recently learned that there is a difference in the freebee bags that formula companies give to nursing moms and formula moms when they leave the hospital. In my area at least, if you leave the hospital, the nurse asks if you're bf or ff and you get a special bag for your situation. I said I was bf so I was a little confused when I got home and found a can of formula in the bag, but figured oh well, donated it in a food drive and didn't think much more about it. Turns out, if I had said I was ff the baby, I would have gotten a bag, but no formula. Guess they don't need to market to mamas who have decided from day one to ff.

This is another piece of information that needs to be shared! Would you mind sharing what hospital?

There are so many peices of the this puzzle coming together here on MDC right now, we need to do something about it.

Janice

:

[laohaire]

Originally Posted by SPOpa

Guess they don't need to market to mamas who have decided from day one to ff.

That's strange, actually. I mean, you're right, obviously they have a convert to FF, but they of course want the mom to buy THEIR brand for them to actually get the money. So I'm surprised the FF bag didn't include a can of formula to get mom "used" to using THAT brand (and baby "liking" that brand as well, I suppose).

[SPOpa]

.

[intorainbowz]

That is so very sad.

Thing is, as I live in her area, all she needs to do is go buy ANY baby related product at her local smiths and she will get a $5 for Good start.

[CalebsMama05]

Originally Posted by intorainbowz

That is so very sad.

Thing is, as I live in her area, all she needs to do is go buy ANY baby related product at her local smiths and she will get a $5 for Good start.

at my local hy-vee if I buy anything baby related (even nursing pads) I get a $4.50 coupon for enfamil.

[intorainbowz]

Yup. :

I've gone into Smiths and purchased Lansinoh milk bags and a people magazine and diet coke, and got the coupon. I talked to the manager and told him I want a coupon for nursing supplies and he said the coupons are controled by another company.

Last week in LA we purchased diapers and baby food and got the formula coupon.

[CalebsMama05]

also we have those enfamil bags...the ff one contains 2 large cans and 8 3 oz nursers..the bf bag contains a tiny can and a warning not to supp in the first 2 wks but after that it wont hurt supply.

[hunnybumm]

Originally Posted by laohaire

That's strange, actually. I mean, you're right, obviously they have a convert to FF, but they of course want the mom to buy THEIR brand for them to actually get the money. So I'm surprised the FF bag didn't include a can of formula to get mom "used" to using THAT brand (and baby "liking" that brand as well, I suppose).

My take on this is that while the baby is in the hospital (1 - 2 days for vaginal, 3-5 days for c-section) the baby is being put on whatever formula the hospital gets (for free?). So by the time the baby leaves the hospital it has already been on their formula, so it is likely that the mother would continue the formula unless there was a noticible allergy. But I haven't had to deal with formula for either of my boys, so I don't really know if that's who it works. Either way, they try to hit the BFing moms hard because they are 'fresh meat' so to speak.

[Momtwice]

Sorry,

wrong thread!

[MommytoHHH]

Originally Posted by CalebsMama05

also we have those enfamil bags...the ff one contains 2 large cans and 8 3 oz nursers..the bf bag contains a tiny can and a warning not to supp in the first 2 wks but after that it wont hurt supply.

I told them I was BFing (and boy did they know it too) and I got the bag with the 2 large cans and 4 3oz nursers. There was no warning about not supplementing or anything like that. I told them I didn't want it and they insisted I take it "just in case I had an emergency". FWIW, the BF rate around here is utterly abyssmal.

[BCFD]

Originally Posted by MommytoHHH

I told them I was BFing (and boy did they know it too) and I got the bag with the 2 large cans and 4 3oz nursers. There was no warning about not supplementing or anything like that. I told them I didn't want it and they insisted I take it "just in case I had an emergency". FWIW, the BF rate around here is utterly abyssmal.

I would have left it on the hospital bed as I checked out. I mean, if you really didn't want it you could have just left it.

I tried to check out that link but it has been flagged. Maybe she was a foster or adoptive mama?

[intorainbowz]

Then WHY would she have not said so? People often are very willing to help foster parents especially.

Odds are that this woman is the bio mom, and she prolly could have breast fed and for whatever reason she did not.

[BCFD]

Originally Posted by intorainbowz

Then WHY would she have not said so? People often are very willing to help foster parents especially.

Odds are that this woman is the bio mom, and she prolly could have breast fed and for whatever reason she did not.

I don't know. I'm an adoptive mama, but I dont' CALL myself that. Fact is, my kids WERE adopted. But I'm their mom. Period. I don't tell people I meet, "Hi, I'm BCFD and I'm their adoptive mama". I try not to assume.

[AEMOMMY]

Hi. This is AEMOMMY'S husband using her account.

This is just how crack dealers sell to children. They offer free crack for the first few times, then when the kids are hooked, they start to demand payment. The kid then lies, cheats and steals to get his/her fix.

The original poster has it right, especially the part about waiting for mom to dry up, then they need the formula.

[sunflowers]

So now I have a question If you have formula coupons, do you send them to people who are already ffing? Or do you still toss them away (or send them to your legislators ) If the mom has already lost her milk and needs the formula, I would think you'd send them to her but am I missing something important?

[tessie]

I agree with sunflowers.

Push breastfeeding whilst a woman is still pregnant by all means, but if a woman is already using formula what good does making her feel bad about her choice do?

I am pro breast feeding but some women genuinely can't breastfeed (say due to surgery or medication or adoption). I don't think women should be made to feel guilty for their choice. Far better to expend your energy on promoting breastfeeding to those whose babies aren't yet born or supporting new mother with b/feeding.