Does your ped give out samples?

[BusyBeeMom]

For those of you who take your kids to the pediatrician...does your ped give out formula samples? Mine does (or at least I've seen the stacks of cans in the waiting room shelves, so I assume so). It's always bugged me.

So, I'm thinking of writing them a letter, expressing my dismay and wish that they would use their very influential roles to encourage breastfeeding and not distribute formula marketing material. And add to the letter that I'm in the process of looking for a ped who does NOT give out formula. I'm wondering, though, how feasible that is. Do they all give out formula? I need someone who takes the kids' insurance, and is reasonably close.

[cognito]

Mine will only give out the samples to people already using formula. I got one small can at the 9mo well check & that was it. I exclusively pumped for a while & then because of health reasons (mine not ds) we switched to formula by 3mo. So formula was never pushed on us by his ped or my OB at all.
I'm glad there wasn't any incidents like "I know you're pumping, but here's a can just in case." That would have irked me. I didn't mind being offered it after we were already using it because, honestly, every little bit helped.

[Mommal]

Originally Posted by BusyBeeMom

For those of you who take your kids to the pediatrician...does your ped give out formula samples?

Nope! And they're very supportive of breastfeeding in general, and extended breastfeeding in particular.

[HomeBirthMommy]

I've never seen any or heard of her giving them out. She is very pro-breastfeeding, even to the point that she became an IBCLC. I love our ped.

[Llyra]

Yeah. They'll only offer if you've already said you're using formula, but they do have them and give them out. I've never seen any displays in the office, though. They seem to keep the stuff put away somewhere.

[curly_mommy]

Mine doesn't, at least not to me. But with my first, he knew that I was an exclusive nurser from the start, and didn't bat an eye when I became an extended nurser - he commended me on it every time we went in and she just got older and older. And now with my second, he of course knows that we are once again exclusive nursers.

His practice doesn't tend to give out freebies in general in my experience, so I really don't see them giving out formula either.

You're right about ped's being so influential, I would be really sorry to hear about ones who do give out lots of free formula.

[RoadWorkAhead]

MIne gives out samples of certain kinds. LIke he could get me Alimentum RTF, and he can get me samples of Elecare or Neocate if I needed to try switching DD"s current formula, but he doesn't give them out to new moms or willynilly. IN fact, he only offered us the Alimentum RTF after DD quit gaining weight and her food allergies were apparent and we were considering switching to formula to treat her medical condition. I know he has samples there, but he's not a big fan of giving out formula if it might impair a BFing relationship that is otherwise healthy and good. He also never offered with DS who no one believed I could BF as I'm BFARing. Even with daily then weekly weight checks, he never mentioned it. They also don't recommend any brand

[*MamaJen*]

Not that I know of. She's very pro-BF, and she knows I'm super pro-BF, so I doubt it would cross her mind to offer.

[wonderwahine]

Originally Posted by Llyra

Yeah. They'll only offer if you've already said you're using formula, but they do have them and give them out. I've never seen any displays in the office, though. They seem to keep the stuff put away somewhere.

same with any ped I've been to, even the clinics. They only give out to moms who are already formula feeding.

[_betsy_]

Nope. I don't think I've even seen cans, or posters/pens/promotional matierals from the formula companies in that office.

Even when it took 6 days for my milk to come in, no one ever suggested supplementing.

[zoebugsmom]

He's never offered samples to us. I don't know if he offers them to parents who ff but I don't think so. He was very pro bfing and told me many times that one of his sons nursed until he was 3.

[ramama]

No! And THAT is why he's our pediatrician! In fact, there is no mention of formula anywhere in his office or waiting room. There are no formula company logos anywhere (not on pens, notepads, posters, nothing). That's not to say that he doesn't have pamphlets hidden somewhere to support FFing mothers, but they're just not in view.

And he has a super-nice breastfeeding room adjacent to the waiting room...

[boobybunny]

Nope, mine gives out a 50% off coupon for a local bra shop that has nursing bras.

[CallMeMommy]

They used to but not anymore, a couple of years ago they quit giving out samples of any kind (medication, formula, etc.). They'll still give you the little flyer so you can send your info to Enfamil and get stuff sent to you, though :

[BugMacGee]

Nope.

[LeighB]

Nope, otherwise he wouldn't be our pedi any more.

[mytwogirls]

Nope she does not, which is one of the reasons I picked her.

[lacysmommy]

When I first starting seeing my current ped, they had a big LeapFrog toy on a formula company rug, and a basket of forumla coupons at the front desk, and other formula stuff in their office. Since I liked the doctor, I kept going. Now, there is no formula stuff anywhere, including the Leap Frog toy! I was so impressed when I saw it was ALL gone!

[shanti1]

I've never seen a formula sample in my ped's office. I can't say that they don't but they sure don't advertise it. They don't even have the formula literature there.

[*MamaJen*]

Originally Posted by boobybunny

Nope, mine gives out a 50% off coupon for a local bra shop that has nursing bras.

Ooh, I wish mine did that. I could totally use some new nursing bras.