Diaper Bags
by Barbara Dehn - 24th May 2007
I’ve heard that some states are considering legislation to prevent hospitals from giving new moms Diaper Bags with formula samples in them. I was a little surprised by this, since so many moms love the Bags and rely on the samples when they are out and can’t breastfeed or don’t want to lug chilled and pumped breast milk around. The argument is that this will help women breastfeed longer. This confused me, because I’ve read that length of time that a woman breastfeeds was related to the length of her maternity leave and whether she returned to work, not whether she received a diaper bag in the hospital.
I guess it’s easier to prevent women from obtaining diaper bags with formula samples, than it is to tackle the big issues like extending maternity leave so that moms can be home longer and breastfeed longer. Or how about putting our energy into making sure that when women do return to work, that they have time pump their milk, that there’s a clean private place for them with a hospital grade pump, so they don’t break their backs lugging the pump from home?
How about instead of telling women what they can’t have, we help them get what they really need?
Barbara Dehn RN MS NP
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