Beware of the Breastfeeding Support Bag

by Pattie Hughes | More from this Blogger

23 Aug 2006 06:35 PM

When your baby is born, you may receive a diaper bag in the hospital. These are sponsored by large formula companies. In many hospitals, there are two bags. One is for formula feeding mothers and the other is for mothers who are breastfeeding. These are often called "breastfeeding support" bags.

You may be surprised to find formula in your breastfeeding support bag. I know I was. The bag I got when my son was born a few weeks ago contained a bunch of pre filled bottles of formula. With the first two children, there was no formula in the bags, only coupons. With the third baby there was a can of powdered formula.

Breastfeeding activists are lobbying against these bags. What we need to realize is the formula companies aren't giving you this nice diaper bag because they love you and your baby. They are marketing a product. They are trying to sell formula and these promotional bags are a great tool for that purpose.

Advocates for breastfeeding see these bags as sabotage to the new mother. The message that formula feeding is easier can be very strong to the tired new mother. What she needs is support, not free formula. At the very least, they should not be allowed to call them breastfeeding support bags.

When my first two babies were born, the bags were more breastfeeding friendly. They didn't contain formula, but they did contain advertisements and coupons for formula. I threw these away. The bag did have some good things, such as sample packs of breast pads and little bottles for freezing breast milk.

When my third baby was born, I took the formula home. I donated it to my church's food pantry program. Since I wasn't going to use it, I decided to share with a mother who may need it. At the time, I didn't think much about it or really see it as sabotage. But I've never been on the fence about breastfeeding anyway.

The more I have read about this issue, the more I have realized how insidious this marketing is to the new mother. Many women have little or no support for breastfeeding. They are bombarded with advertisements about formula containing many ingredients found in breast milk. To the tired new mom, it can seem like an easier alternative. This is not in the best interests of the mother or her baby.

Also in my bag this time was a booklet on breastfeeding. This made me angrier than the sample formula bottles. After I got home from the hospital, I looked through the bag and found this guide. As I was nursing my son, I decided to look through it. I was shocked at what I found.

The booklet is 39 pages long. Fifteen of these pages are dedicated exclusively to formula feeding or are ads for formula. I pointed this out to my husband. He knows how I feel about breastfeeding and suggested I write about it. As I read through the rest of the guide, I found many references to formula on the remaining pages. In all, more than half this "breastfeeding information guide" is dedicated to formula. How is this supporting the new mother in breastfeeding?

This time, I spoke up at the hospital. When the nurse brought in the bag, I looked through it. I took out the bottles and told her I didn't want them. I suggested that she give them to a formula feeding mother in the hospital. She asked if I was sure I didn't want to take them home, "just in case." I thanked her but said I definitely would not be using them.

When the nurse brings in your bag, take a good look inside. Be aware that the purpose of this bag is to market a product. If you've made the decision to breastfeed your baby, look for support elsewhere. The formula companies aren't really interested in supporting your efforts. They are interested in selling expensive formula and in finding new customers. Get rid of the formula, but feel free to keep the bag. I kept mine. I can always use another diaper bag.

Learn more about Pattie Hughes

Pattie Hughes is a freelance writer and mother of four young children. She and her husband have been married since 1992. Pattie holds a degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University.

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Brandie (1720) 23 Aug 2006 08:19 PM

I got bags with each of my pregnancies ... the first two were "breastfeeding friendly" but did have formula samples in them. We donated them. The third also had formula in it, but when I said I was nursing exclusively, my midwife took out the formula (with my permission) and told me they took all of it and just donated it to places that could use it. I admit, I do like the bags, but I do wish they didn't have all the formula stuff in them too. I have heard nursing friendly hospitals are now refusing to pass them out at all to new mothers.

Nikki Goodson (15905) 23 Aug 2006 09:07 PM

And if you DO keep the bag, check around the outside of it for little formula advertisements. I believe the one that I got (and I've seen around) has a CUTE little tag hanging on the outside with a picture of a bear holding a blanket ... but that cute little bear is the picture that is on Similac formula. It's an advertisement in disguise. Remove it! Burn it! :) (PS Great blog)

Valorie Delp (49340) 24 Aug 2006 04:53 AM

I had written a blog about the "Baby Friendly Hospital". . .a while back. In order to be a "baby-friendly hospital" you cannot give a breastfeeding mother free formula (but you must have a LC on staff!) Furthermore, there is a limit to how much free formula as a hospital you are allowed to have on hand. Sadly, not many hospitals are "baby-friendly". Great article Pattie!

Marily (836) 04 Sep 2006 08:54 PM

Honestly, I think it is definitely up to the mother to make the call. Hospitals should not have to ban "breastfeeding support bags." Women can choose for themselves whether or not they want the bags, or what they want to keep that is inside of them! It is obvious to women that the free stuff is just a marketing ploy. I enjoyed getting the free bag when my son was born and didn't think twice about the formula inside although I was breastfeeding. It IS free after all.

Valorie Delp (49340) 16 Sep 2006 06:24 PM

If you look at it from the hospital's perspective though--it only makes sense economically speaking. By encouraging, I mean really encouraging mothers to breastfeeding and not promoting formula, you are a) saving gazillions of dollars on formula which is only free to YOU--not the hospital b) saving gazillions of dollars treating sick babies that may have been healthy if they were breastfed. Of course they shouldn't completely ban it--but many hospitals can do a lot more and should do a lot more to really promote breastfeeding.

miraclebaby06 (17132) 17 Sep 2006 10:14 AM

I got this bag i didnt think much of the formula till now but i had to supplment anyways. I did ask for a bag but that was because a friend of mine got a great bfing bag with a small pump, breast pads, lansinoh cream and freeze bags along with cupons for bfing products. I like my bag but wish it would have been more for bfing

Sara Denomme (1063) 10 Dec 2006 08:05 PM

Marily, just so you know, it is not always obvious to women that the free stuff is a marketing ploy. There are young mothers that are very impressionable and probably aren't being encouraged by family or friends to breastfeed to begin with, that are getting these bags! The thing is, formula companies know that once you start your baby on a certain brand of formula, you aren't likely to change the brand. That is why they target us at the hospital and not after. It is VERY important to get these bags out of the hospitals. Our entire society should aim to support breastfeeding, and that especially includes our so-called medical experts at the hospital.