doulas/midwives what do you promote in your practice?

I too found the cord bank people very pushy and it's too expensive for most people, plus preg women see the brochures in the doctor or midwives office.

I also find it difficult to stop conversations with solicitors of all types of pregnancy and postpartum related "stuff". Both the good stuff and the useless things.

Telling them I fully support the World Health Organization International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes usually stops most conversations when I ask if their business follows the WHO code when they want me to recommend their product or service. Doulas who take bookings thru my service are not allowed to sell anything to clients. We live in NYC and it's very easy to go on errands and buy stuff for clients. We can get everything a new mom might need locally usually in walking distance from her home!

Here is the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes if you are not familiar with them.

What does the Code cover?
The Code covers marketing and related practices for the following products: breast milk substitutes, including infant formula; other milk products, foods and beverages when marketed as replacements, partial or total, for breast milk; feeding bottles and teats.
Products covered by the Code are referred to as being within "the scope of the code."
The main points of the International Code are:
• No promotion of all these products to the public.
• No free samples to mothers,
• No promotion in health care facilities, including no free or low-cost formula.
• No company representatives to contact mothers.
• No gifts or personal samples to health workers (including volunteers).
• Labels-clear, accurate information-no words or pictures idealizing artificial feeding-no pictures of infants on labels-appropriate language for the country or area where it is sold
• Information to health workers must be scientific and factual.
• All information on artificial feeding must explain the benefits and superiority of breastfeeding, and the costs and hazards associated with artificial feeding
• Unsuitable products, such as sweetened condensed milk, should not be promoted for babies.
• No promotion of complementary foods before six months (clarified in the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding).
• Governments are responsible for implementing this Code by national legislation, regulations, etc., as locally appropriate.
• Manufacturers and distributors should comply with the Code's provisions even if countries have not acted to implement the Code as law.
• Nongovernmental organizations, professional groups, institutions, and concerned individuals report activities incompatible with the aims of the Code to companies and governments for appropriate action.

For full wording of the International Code, www.who.int/nut/documents/code_english.PDF

I only recommend to clients things that I have actually USED. I plan to have a small "store" in my birth center and will have it stocked with things that *could* be useful for clients, but I don't plan to push anything. I don't include literature on anything in my client packet, but suggest things as they might be needed (ie cranial sacral therapy for backache, herbs for other ailments, herbal tea for iron production, etc.). I hope to have the products I recommend in my "store" so IF THEY WANT IT, they can get it easily for a reasonable price. And I give the phone number for service providers when I recommend their services. That's *IT*. I don't want my clients to feel like I'm selling them something!

Re: cord blood banking: it wouldn't work for any of my clients because I am WHOLEHEARTEDLY opposed to early cord clamping and cutting and the banks require that in order to harvest the blood. Not something I'll do: sorry!

Fortunately I haven't had many solicitaiton calls yet, but I found at my preceptor's office that the best way to get out of the call was ask "is this a solicitation?" and if so, answer "I'm not interested, please don't call again" and hang up. It's just like telemarketing: be firm and know that your time is too valuable to be tied up on the phone with people trying to con your clients into things that are unnecessary!

When I work with a client after the birth I give them a little "goody" bag. In it I have samples of Burt Bees baby products, lanolin, and massage oil for mom to use with baby. These are all items that I loved using with my babies. They are items that are positive, not useless. Before the birth I do include info. about circ., babywearing and breastfeeding but I don't push any agenda because it is information I am sharing and their decision to take it or ignore it. However, there are many low-income moms that I work with through a grant program and with those moms I give them each a sling at their pp visit. Basically, I feel that they are the women who wouldn't be able to access or afford to buy one so I think I am "sharing" again not pushing an agenda. Besides it is up to them to actually use it.

Quote:
Wow.. I think that's a great idea~