New moms at hospitals in Massachusetts will no longer get gift diaper bags filled with baby formula and other freebies, thanks to state health officials intent on promoting breast-feeding.
The ban on goodies from formula companies drew mixed reactions from mothers like Sarah Wood, who has a 15-month-old son.
"The pressure to breast-feed is good. The problem is it doesn't work out for everyone," she said, bemoaning the guilt some mothers feel.
The ban doesn't bar hospitals from giving out free formula. But it ends a longtime marketing practice that breast-feeding advocates say was designed to turn harried new mothers toward a less healthy alternative - and implied an endorsement of formula by hospitals.
"There's no free lunch and there's no free gift," said Beth Sargent, an independent lactation consultant from Needham. "A gift is something given freely without the anticipation of a return. There is absolutely an anticipation of return."
click to read more....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment