Anybody here heard about the new proposition to get (yes, like on cigarettes) warning lables on baby formula?

Question

What's next from these people? A warning label on disposable diapers? Wow. I wish I had this much time on my hands to give 1/4 of a damn about what other people feed their kids:

Link: http://blogs.chron.com/mamadrama/archives/2006/06/warning_carolyn.html

Gotta go heat the poison up to make missy's bottle-o-evil. Later.

Perimeter- Can you please, like, NOT answer any more of my questions? Please? I'm asking politely, nicely, and honestly. I promise too, to stay far away from yours. Thanks.

Answer 1

I have heard this and I totally agree with you!!!! We are mothers - we have researched up and down and have certainly come to our decisions to breastfeed or bottlefeed after much deliberation. I am really offended that the government would think I came to my decision lightly and didn't know what I was doing! DUH!

I can see educating teen mothers who may not be familiar with parenting and health...(no offense intended) - but a freaking WARNING label? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

*Edited to add - how is this giving formula companies a taste of their own medicine?? It's at the expense of mothers and attempts to humiliate them and guilt them into doing something...

Answer 2

Did you see the commercials they put out where they were showing very pregnant women doing things like log-rolling and riding the mechanical bull? Then they would come on and say, "You wouldn't take a risk like this when you're pregnant, why risk your baby's health after? Breast feed for the first year."
At the time, I was pregnant and planning on breast feeding, but I was enraged all the same. Some women can't breast feed (like me - the colostrum never came in - nothing happened), other women have to work and expressing at work is not easy, and some women just don't want to, and there is nothing wrong with that.
I could go on and on. I don't think you need to temper your bitterness - I am right there with you. Cases of "failure to thrive" have skyrocketed since they started sending gestapo into new mother's hospital rooms to guilt trip them against the use of bottles.
Women used bottles before formula too. Back in 54 my mom had a problem and wasn't able to breastfeed my oldest brother for a couple of weeks. They would mix water and cows milk 1:1 and add a little sugar and give them that.
BTW - Thanks for the Best Answer.

Answer 3

I do and I don't agree to the warning labels. I don't feel that mothers who need to use it should be shamed for it. That would be horrible.
However, I have to admit a bit of pleasure in the idea of giving these companies a taste of their own medicine. After all, they are the ones who went into poor countries and told all the mothers that they were starving their kids with breastmilk, left them with a month's supply of formula and then ditched them with dry milk ducts.

Jellybean, you really need to take the bitterness down a notch. Why are you so bitter about breastfeeding, anyway? You did it for 15 months between the two kids. I see that you tried and did a pretty good job. So, what's the problem?

Edit to add: Tracy M, that is why I both agree to it and disagree. How is putting a warning label going to shame the mothers any more than what the formula company's past practices did to breastfeeding mothers? I would agree to it whole-heartedly if it were ONLY the formula companies who were hurt by it.

Answer 4

That is quite possibly THE most ridiculous thing I've ever read.

First of all, I think just about everyone with a grain of sense knows that breastfeeding is best. Regardless of whether you choose to formula feed voluntarily or physically CAN'T breastfeed, so you have to formula feed, they shouldn't put a warning label on formula.

I wasn't able to breastfeed my sons, unfortunately, and if I had read something like that on the side of a can of formula, it would have honestly made me feel like even LESS of a woman that I already did.

I do believe breastfeeding is best, but really...why do complete strangers care if you feed your baby formula? Really, how is it POSSIBLY hurting them if you don't breastfeed your child(ren)?

Answer 5

While I whole-heartedly support breastfeeding, I think such labeling would be serious overkill. As a mom, I already have enough doubts to deal with and enough guilt without being told I'm a failure with every feeding. My son's formula already carries the message "Experts agree on the many benefits of breast milk", and it's a special formula designed for preemies- babies who almost always have problems nursing!

Answer 6

I think it's a great idea.

Breastmilk is the biological norm. It's what a baby's system expects to be fed. Formula is considered an acceptable substitute. BUT people need to know that choosing to go with the substitute does have potential risks. How can you make an informed choice if there is never a chance for the information to get to the consumer?

Answer 7

I had someone at WIC women infant children tell me I was GOING TO BREAST FEED or they wouldn't process my assistance! I was like...YOU'RE NUTS!!! I left the wic office and found somewhere else to get the help I need. I'm sick of people telling me what to feed my child, what to eat when I go out...HELL..If my son wants to eat a damn pizza for lunch...AND NOT SHARE...that's his business!