Over-reacting in Oregon
by Kate Kahn - 03rd January 2008
Several hospitals in Oregon—and all in Portland-- have stopped handing out “gift packs” that include formula samples to new mothers leaving the hospital. The trend is spurred by a desire to increase breastfeeding rates. I’m not disputing the goal but I do take issue with the logic.
I truly don’t believe the formula samples influence a woman’s decision as to how she’s going to feed her new child. And I think it’s deceptive when studies say that handing out these goodie bags help dissuade mothers from continuing to breastfeed. One such study (a recent one) was conducted by researchers at the state (Oregon) Office of Family Health. They found that women who were handed gift packs were less likely to continue breastfeeding after 10 weeks leading them to conclude that “one way to increase exclusive breast-feeding may be to halt the provision of (gift packs) at the time of newborn hospital discharge."
There are numerous reasons why women stop breastfeeding around month three. Even the researchers involved in the study admit that putting free formula samples in the bags is “far from the only factor -- or even the biggest -- in whether new moms choose to breast-feed.” It states that other mitigating factors such as age and family income prove more telling predictors, with teenage and low-income moms least likely to breast-feed. It also addresses the stigma of breast-feeding on the job.
But those facts seem to get buried and the race to hop on a trend is fueled on selective knowledge rather than the whole story. If we are to really increase breastfeeding rates, let’s start where the problems exist, namely in outreach, support, the workplace, breastfeeding laws etc. Maybe then we’ll see some substantive results.
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