What do you think of Mayor Bloomberg of NYC implementing an initiative for mothers to breastfeed?

That’s not his call. The mother shouldn’t have to have a reason.

The article you linked to says that “mothers won’t ever be denied formula when they ask for it,” which is actually a large moral (or is it ethical?) difference when compared to having to provide a reason.

@PhiNotPi But they will get a nurse giving them a talking-to about why they should breastfeed before getting the formula they ask for. I’m not really sure that is a noticeable difference, especially if the nurses accept reasons like “because that’s how I want to do things”.

@Aethelflaed From reading the question, I interpreted that providing a reason means that the person might be denied formula if the reason isn’t seen as a legitimate one; however, the article tells that this is not the case.

@PhiNotPi Gotcha.

Women should not be compelled to breastfeed. I am pro-breastfeeding but I am more pro mothers having choice. This is an intimidation tactic, designed to guilt and pressure women into breastfeeding. It is a thuggish initiative and I don’t think governments have the right to intimidate a woman to do anything with her body.

I am mostly, but not entirely, not a fan.

Things I like or am fine with:
-Locking formula up. It’s going to be with the rest of the medicine, including the Advil, so it just makes formula treated like every other medicine in a hospital.

-Writing down when the baby ate, and how much. They have to do that when the baby breastfeeds as well, so again, it just seems in line with hospital procedures.

Things I don’t like:
-Why exactly do women need a talking-to? Isn’t there a way to educate anyone who might not actually know about the benefits of breastmilk (and it seems like a fairly small portion of the population who are unaware, especially if NYC has a 90% initial breastfeeding rate) without talking down to and shaming the rest? And if mothers have to be “educated” not just the once, but every time they request formula, that ends up being several times a day, over many days. That’s just flat-out coercion. It also leaves hospitals open for charges of violating HIPAA if a mother is forced to give a reason she is not comfortable sharing with everyone else in the room.

-Having to give a reason. Who is in charge of what’s a good reason, and what’s not? Having HIV will probably be considered a good reason, and needing to go back on your bipolar meds might be, but will “because my nipples are cracked and bleeding, and I’m resenting my kid every time I have to feed her”? If new mothers have a confidence problem, the way to fix that is not to force them to justify their minor and largely trivial parenting decisions to total strangers.

-It mistakes making it harder for formula feeders with providing actual support for breastfeeders. If they want to support breastfeeders, include nipple shields and breastfeeding pillows and some free and discounted appointments with lactation consultants. Or, get with the rest of the world and require workplaces to provide paid and extended maturity leave, which would make more sense, since with a 90% initial latch rate, the problem isn’t in the initial few days of an infant’s life, it’s right about the time most mothers have to go back to work.

Before I comment, or anybody comments, I think we should be going to the source “Latch On NY” initiative that was mentioned in the article. It may be a situation where people are up in arms and interpreting what they expect may happen, as opposed to what will or what is likely to happen. I am going to go to the source (probably a NYC site) before commenting further, and I think everyone else should, too.

It’s a good idea to encourage women to breastfeed.

This is a trifle manipulative, but not that bad, given all the other things the city could do. No one will be denied. The reason doesn’t matter. So this is just a way of making sure a conversation happens. Presumably the nurses will be trained and know how to have these conversations in an effective way, hopefully without rancor.

The conversation should happen before the baby is born. Not after while the hospital holds the formula ransom under lock and key. I breastfed all my children. I absolutely think it’s the best thing for a baby but I don’t approve of this method of bullying women into not using formula. Women are highly emotional and vulnerable after giving birth. I don’t have a problem with having a lactation consultant visiting all new mothers but I can imagine having to ask for formula as if you are committing a crime could be very stressful for some new mothers who for whatever reason, don’t feel they can breastfeed.

I just read an article (by googling Latch On NYC) on CNN’s site about it (article date 8/17/12). The article did not say anything about needing a reason for formula, it just said moms have to ask for it. The article said this is not an anti-formula initiative, it’s a pro-breastfeeding initiative. I also looked at the NYC document initially promoting the Latch On NYC and it did not say anything about moms needing a reason for formula. Both the CNN article and the NYC document mentioned that corporate-sponsored formula “gift bags” have not been given out in NYC since 2007. I think this is a case of people being up in arms over something that’s been sensationalized in the media.

I don’t have a problem with the formula being stored under lock and key… that’s just good practice in a hospital. Keeps things from being tainted and/or stolen. Every expectant mother should receive info on breast feeding (including info on why it’s best), and every mom of a newborn should be able to get a breastfeeding lesson in the hospital shortly after the birth. I don’t mind the idea of breastfeeding being the assumed choice. But if a mom wants to formula feed, she shouldn’t be given a guilt trip about it.

When I had my son, the hospital pushed formula on me. “It’s free, just take it! Here’s a case of premade Enfamil, just pop the nipple on! Here’s three jars of Similac powder! Here’s a month’s supply of free vouchers!”

It was CRAZY! I tried to turn it down. “Hey, give it to some lady who needs it, who can’t lactate!” Oh, but I’ll never know if I need it, right? But I didn’t ask for it.

I ended up selling the stuff on Craigslist for an obscene amount of money, along with the coupons I got in the mail for two years afterword.

Talk about your hard sells, huh?

Personally, I think formula should be on a request-only basis. I don’t care how much money babymilk companies are giving to maternity wards, that is not the place for your advertisements. As others have said, women after giving birth are emotionally vulnerable, and many are likely to give up breastfeeding (which can be really really hard the first few days) if they’ve got a small country’s supply of samples in easy reach.

Why should anyone except the mother be involved in this decision? Doesn’t Bloomberg have enough to do running the city without infringing upon the rights of a mother! This is absolutely bizarre. I just read that men who are trying to have a child should not drink alcohol because it has an adverse effect on sperm quality. Why doesn’t he try to stop would-be fathers from drinking? How much more control do men want to exercise over women.

Unfortunately, @rooeytoo, there are a shit ton of formula company advertising dollars being pumped into hospitals, and breastmilk doesn’t have much of a budget to help out with the “choice”.

When I had my daughter, I was in labor almost 48 hours and did not eat that entire 24 hour period before she came out, so they told me her blood sugar was a bit low and asked if they could give her formula. I told them of course, give her whatever she needs (I felt they shouldn’t have even asked, as if she needed it, she should have it without question). Once she got the formula, filling her up with little effort, she did not want to breastfeed. The hospital had lactation specialists who were very patient and knowledgeable and encouraged me to breastfeed the time I was there, and afterward, they had me come in for a consultation. However, she never really wanted to do it. While I was in the hospital, she was in the infirmary, so any formula she needed I didn’t have to ask for, they just gave it to her. The lactation lady gave me a bunch to take home, which I was grateful for. The formula is locked up in the hospital, as it should be. It shouldn’t be “just go and help yourself to whatever you want.” As I said earlier, apparently, NYC hospitals have not given out formula gift bags since 2007. If a mom is on WIC, she gets huge amounts of formula as part of WIC. I made too much money for WIC but I had friends who got it and who gave me formula as they got so much extra.

@Seek_Kolinahr – So you and Bloomberg are assuming that you are the only ones smart enough to see through an advertising campaign and make this decision. The poor stupid masses are being duped and it is your duty to show them the high road?

Not to show them the high road, but to dispel the myths being perpetrated by these companies since the 50s.

Organizations such as La Leche League are doing a great job as a start, but there are many, MANY women young and old who think (for example) that their breasts will drop to their ankles if they even try to nurse. Many have a hard time the first day or two and give up altogether (it took three days for my own milk to come in. Believe me, it hurts like a motherfucker) I had a friend whose OBGYN told her she couldn’t nurse because her milk was too “gray”, and never thought to seek a second opinion. That guy should have retired 20 years before she ever delivered.

I’m not saying to outright refuse to provide synthetic baby milk in hospitals, I’m saying that a maternity ward isn’t Mongomery Ward – and they need to keep advertisements and sales materials out of the way.