AAP recommends no more formula samples

Wow. I am truly impressed with the AAP on this one...I've got to hand it to them.

http://massbreastfeeding.org/index.php/2012/aap-passes-resolution-to-limit-formula-marketing/

The American Academy of Pediatrics has passed a resolution advising pediatricians “not to provide formula company gift bags, coupons, and industry-authored handouts to the parents of newborns and infants in office and clinic settings.” The resolution, passed last month, was unveiled on the AAP’s breastfeeding website today..."

http://www2.aap.org/breastfeeding/


The resolution stresses the following about formula samples:

- breastfeeding is the normal, physiologic way to feed newborn infants

- not breastfeeding increases the risk of adverse health outcomes in mothers and their infants

- the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Surgeon General have stated strongly and clearly that patients must be protected from commercial infant formula marketing

- the Federal Government Accountability Office (GAO) as well as American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American Public Health Association (APHA), and the AAP all identify distribution of formula company packs as “inappropriate in medical environments and recommend against it”


- the American medical community has been severing its bonds with pharmaceutical companies because of the negative impact pharmaceutical advertising has on human behavior

- research has demonstrated that the free distribution of commercial materials such as formula samples, diaper bags, formula coupons, or other gifts via commercial infant formula marketing implicitly endorses formula feeding and creates the impression that clinicians favor formula feeding over breastfeeding, and research demonstrates that this activity decreases exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding, therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Academy advise pediatricians not to provide formula company gift bags, coupons, and industry-authored handouts to the parents of newborns and infants in office and clinic settings.

Reference Committee
C- AAP Operations
Resolution #67SC 47 (12) –2012 Annual Leadership Forum
48 Page Two
49
50 FISCAL NOTE: There would be no fiscal impact on the Academy, but it should be
51 noted that there are documented cost savings with the improved
52 health from breastfeeding.
53
54 REFER TO: 2012 Annual Leadership Forum

I wish I had a like button for this.

Quoting "The Boob" [HM]:" I wish I had a like button for this."

   
That is awesome.

It makes sense. It's not like there are sample boobs to pass out so as to keep the marketing balanced.

Quoting Uh-milly'Yuh:" It makes sense. It's not like there are sample boobs to pass out so as to keep the marketing balanced."

Oh man! I wish! I never had enough milk with either kid even though I did everything right *sigh*

I agree actually. I don't think there is anything wrong with formula feeding, as I only ff my first. I wish that I would have had more pro breastfeeding advice from my doctors with my first. I mean even the first days in the hospital are so important. I think if the benefits of just colostrum were adequately presented it would make such a difference. Even mothers that want to ff can give that first few days of colostrum to their babies.

Quoting "The Boob" [HM]:" Oh man! I wish! I never had enough milk with either kid even though I did everything right *sigh*"

awwww. Sorry. Heathy baby though right?

Quoting "The Boob" [HM]:" I wish I had a like button for this."

Looky: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/3/e827.full

I'm seriously considering getting a pediatrician now. If only they'd stop marketing vaccines.  

I loved my free diaper bag.. Also I donated my coupons and free formula.

Quoting EmmaGrace:" awwww. Sorry. Heathy baby though right?"

Turned out that way.

My DD was born 8 lbs 7 oz and with exclusive breastfeeding like around the clock 24/7 her constantly on my tit for a month, she was still down to 7 lbs 7 oz at a month old.

Once I started supplementing her she gained but it took her MONTHS to catch up. She was underweight until she was almost 1. She's healthy now.

With my son, I saw the same issues happening (he was born 7-3, went down to 6-8 and just wasnt gaining) so I started supplementing him after 2 weeks instead of trying to wait it out (knowing this had been an issue before) and he got super chunky super fast. Still is at 1 and a half.

He is 17 months and weighs like 28 lbs. DD is 3 and a half and weighs like 29 lbs lol.

And to anyone reading this, I am in no way saying formula makes a healthier baby. Breastfeeding is always the first and best option. But when you truly can't produce (which is pretty rare if you are doing everything you are supposed to), formula is the best second obviously.

Quoting MrsAbbigael (Bella&Cash):" I agree actually. I don't think there is anything wrong with formula feeding, as I only ff my first. ... [snip!] ... it would make such a difference. Even mothers that want to ff can give that first few days of colostrum to their babies."

I agree there needs to be more support/advice from the doctors on breastfeeding.

I had major supply issues with number two (gave up after a month with my first) and instead of giving me tips to increase my supply they told me she wasn't getting enough nutrition from my tata's and I HAD to supplement with formula, and put her on the boob AFTER a formula bottle.

Thanks to the breastfeeding thread on her, the nutritionist and lactation consultant from WIC, we kept going until 11 months. I still feel horrible for stopping, it was selfish, but it was too much to have her on the boob every 1/2 hour- hour (she's a snacker, refused to drink more than 2 oz at a time from the tap...did a lot of weight checks even bought a scale for at home and she NEVER drank more than that no matter what I did...even if she had a bottle it would take her an hour to eat 4 oz), hand express or pump at least 3 times during the day, and get up in the night to do it (she slept through the night). I was sick of fighting with my body to make it do something it should have done easily.

I've read this all over FB today. I'm glad  

Quoting "The Boob" [HM]:" Turned out that way. My DD was born 8 lbs 7 oz and with exclusive breastfeeding like around the ... [snip!] ... can't produce (which is pretty rare if you are doing everything you are supposed to), formula is the best second obviously."

Wow...that must have been really tough!

You think she was just small, as in a small person?

Quoting "The Boob" [HM]:" Oh man! I wish! I never had enough milk with either kid even though I did everything right *sigh*"

But then there would also be a secondary market for fetishists. Ewww!

Quoting EmmaGrace:" Wow...that must have been really tough! You think she was just small, as in a small person? "

No, she was definitely "failure to thrive". Weighing a pound less than your birth weight at a month old is not good. She was in newborn clothes til she was like 5 months old. She chunked up when she was on table food. I still breastfed her til she was like 15 months old, but she was supplemented a small amount (like 8 oz a day) for a few months in the beginning.

I would nurse her til my tits were falling off and then give her a 2 oz formula bottle. Like every other feed. It would end up being about 4 feeds during the day and then I would just BF at night. It helped that I was able to be home with her til she was ten months old.