Those who know me know I am an avid breastfeeder (check out some of my other posts).. heck my babe has NEVER had even one drop of formula. I’ve certainly gone thru some breastfeeding ups and downs but never gave into the stuff. Anyways, formula marketing is ridiculous these days and here is an example of how one new’ish mother has been bombarded by the “free samples and stuff” given to new moms as a welcome to their new babes. Welcome my Butt.. seriously!

Anyways.. here is a pic of the current stash of free stuff that I have acquired over the last little bit.

I got one can and a blue cooler bag (not pictured) before my babe was born. One green cooler bag and can of formula at the Baby Boom Show and then just this week I got ANOTHER green bag and 2 cans of formula (advanced and isomil) in the mail. Holy Moly!! So now I have 4 cans of Similac formula to give away or throw out. However, the cooler bag is great!!! Its the perfect size for a short outing and as you can see I have come up with a way to NOT advertise for them.. that’s right… the beautiful brown patch over the embroidered logo. Now I don’t feel so bad.

It all really makes me think about marketing and how new Mom’s are targeted in a time when they are most venerable. Smart marketing I guess but still just awful for the babe who deserves breastmilk not formula.

Of course its not only Similac that does all this…. Enfamil is just as bad although I only got a sample can from them…. no gifts. Nestle is however the worst violator of not following marketing requirements for infant food. See Baby Milk Action. If i HAD to use formula I would try to use Similac since its made by a company that pretty much only makes nutritional supplements… not stuff like chocolate syrup and bottles of water (aka Nestle).

Anyways… Thanks Abbott Labs/Similac for the nice bag!