ggrr....formula promotions

[snugglebug14]

First I was totally annoyed to receive a package from similac yesterday with 2 cans of formula. i don't even know how i got on their mailing list.
then today i was looking on the motherhood maternity website becuase i still have a gift certificate to there to use and found this line of products...totally annoyed that they show a bottle and not a boob....
http://www.motherhood.com/Collection...d=1&Pageison=1 (bottom of page...got milk stuff)

[Mel L]

We got the similac package a few days after our dd was born. We have friends who use similac so we are giving them all the coupons and the soy formula, but we didn't "sign up" for the package either. I went ahead and signed up with the formula companies when my son was born even though I was bf. I was in a mommy group where more than half of the moms were on formula so I would give them all my coupons. We have since moved so I don't know who sold our info this time.

What annoyed me was how many coupons they sent me when I told them I was ebf. I would seriously get $40-80 in coupons every time while my friend who marked formula feeder would be lucky to get $10 in coupons. The whole similac package is marked with this breastfeeding support stuff. Yea, right! I know a lot of first time bf moms would use that temptation when things get a little rough (like during growth spurts), and the formula companies count on it. Luckily, the women's shelter takes the formula so I sent a bunch there, too.

About the got milk.... I do a local craft fair each year, and I make "Got Breast" burp cloths. Those things are the most controversial things I do. People either love them and tell me that they bf for ____ years, or they hate them and think I am crude. What do you bet that they never let a babe touch their breast? I also get a lot of smirks from 20 something guys. It is really crazy.

[fw221]

I would have loved more of those dratted coupons when I was supplementing for dd when she was a baby (WOH & couldn't pump enough). I'm definitely going to be giving mine away if I get some.

I love the shirts on this site.

[Jen H.]

Ah, the almighty bottle icon of babyhood - when will it go the way of the dodo?? Likely never. I know lots of BF moms use bottles to feed EBM while working, etc., so bottles are a necessary part of many babies' lives even if they're breastfed, but still...why does an image of a nursing mama or even a breast (tasteful of course) have to be considered crude or "alternative"??

I can't believe you all get free coupons and cans of formula!! Did you register somewhere? That's never happened to me at all. I wonder if there are laws against it here in Canada. Crazy!

[Shelsi]

Have you bought anything from motherhood maternity this pregnancy? If you have that's how the formula company got your name. MM is infamous for that. That's why no matter how much crap they give me I pay in cash and refuse to tell them anything. They're thick with the formula companies.

Also I know that besides MM the hospital also sold my name after having ds. His crib card, the one that's on the little bassinet and has name, gender, etc, was "sponsored by" enfamil and had the enfamil logo and stuff on the back of it. Sick, isn't it?

[~Demeter~]

Your doctor can also sell the information or if you filled out any of the cards they have at the office. It's terrible how often this happens. I've been avoiding any freebies this pregnancy and giving anyone more information than I feel they need, when I went to motherhood maternity and they asked for my info I said I didn't feel comfortable giving that information to them. The woman didn't even bat an eye she just said ok and that was that.

[springbabes]

You'll also get on a list if you signed up for those free pregnancy and baby magazines. I've been very careful this time and have managed to stay under the corporate radar.

I was just talking to my sister who has a 6 week old baby and she says she's been selling the formula coupons on ebay. She's made $30 so far. Maybe I should have gotten on their mailing lists after all .

[amnda527]

I got the package with the two cans a couple weeks ago. I saw a box sitting on my step in the pouring rain, and I thought it was something we ordered, so I got myself soaked getting it in the house, then I saw the similac logo and wanted to throw it back out in the rain!! I'm pretty sure it was because I gave motherhood maternity my info.

Originally Posted by springbabes

I was just talking to my sister who has a 6 week old baby and she says she's been selling the formula coupons on ebay. She's made $30 so far. Maybe I should have gotten on their mailing lists after all .

There's an idea!!

[50ftQueenie]

My insurance company sent me a can of formula, along with all the breastfeeding information I requested on one of the 30 occasions I told them I was breastfeeding.
I kept it in case of some kind of emergency, but I did think it was sort of funny that they sent it. They also gave me a very nice diaper bag and a pocket manual on breastfeeding, so I'm letting it go for the time-being.

[ahdoula]

[QUOTE=50ftQueenie;8480785]My insurance company sent me a can of formula, I kept it in case of some kind of emergency [QUOTE]

Careful about formula emergancies! Holding a screaming baby at 2am after no sleep what so ever can often seem like an emergancy and ends up being the begining of the end!

[50ftQueenie]

Oh no, I meant "emergency" like if I was unable to breastfeed for some reason. Or if dh ran out of breastmilk when I went back to work. I have quite a good tolerance for screaming babies.

[meagansroses]

also be super careful about their "breastfeeding manual"... to an exhausted and irritated mom who can't get baby to latch right or any number of things that book can be bad news. I was reading the one today that came with my similac can of gunk and it goes into great detail about how wonderful breastfeeding is. Then it says on the very next page that "not all women are capable of breastfeeding and that formula is just as good" I wanted to spit on it and throw it away. I understand that "some" moms can't and that there are circumstances behind it. But the booklet is way too vague and leads a scared, depressed, overwhelmed mama to think she is one of the "some". Read the booklet now while your head is working correctly so that you can tear out the pages that need to be put in the burnable trash pile!!

[QueenOfThePride]

I'm not in your DDC, but I'm going to give any formula samples I get to the food pantry. There are people who need it.

[Emma's_Mommy]

if anyone is looking to unload formula coupons could you please send them my way? a mom at dd's daycare has twins that are on formula (premies, given formula from day 1 b/c of a long nicu stay).....2 different brands but i dont remember which and i know she always appreciates the help!

[Mel L]

Erika- That mom of twins may qualify for some multiples help. My triplet neices were given a lot of the preemie formula by the formula rep (they mixed the preemie stuff with sil's pumped breastmilk) so that saved them a ton of money. She might want to see if she can get additional coupons/cans/help from them. Tell her that she can also register with the formula company at every address she has. Could you find out what brand she is using now? I think I have enfamil and nestle...I think.

[umsami]

I think the hospital I pre-registered at sold me out. I just got a little booklet from Enfamil saying how great it is that I had decided to formula feed (: )... and to be sure to give this little card to the nurse so they'd know my baby wanted Enfamil Lipil formula.

It reminds me... when I was there on Friday when my baby had an elevated heart rate... they were like, "Breast or bottle?" And I"m like "Breast." And then the nurse said, "Exclusively???" (Like in a really weird way.) And I said, "Yes, of course. I've exclusively breastfed all of my other children... it's so much easier and healthier." I wonder what the kickbacks may be regarding steering Moms on to the formula.

[Mel L]

umsami- How sad!!! No one even questioned me about breast milk only at the hospital. In fact, I forgot to say no paci, and one of the nurses pointed that out. She gave us a sign for Bella's bed for when she had to go to the nursery to be checked out by the doctor.

I forgot to mention that my ob is an extended breastfeeder so we really haven't had any issues on any breastfeeding.

[Emma's_Mommy]

Originally Posted by Mel L

Erika- That mom of twins may qualify for some multiples help. My triplet neices were given a lot of the preemie formula by the formula rep (they mixed the preemie stuff with sil's pumped breastmilk) so that saved them a ton of money. She might want to see if she can get additional coupons/cans/help from them. Tell her that she can also register with the formula company at every address she has. Could you find out what brand she is using now? I think I have enfamil and nestle...I think.

she did i believe....but the formula companies stoped sending her "extra's" when the twins turned 1 : ....her ped wants the twins on formula until they are 2 b/c they are small...and a bit delayed....and need all the extra they can get!