I don't work in a hospital but here is my 2 cents:
 
Of course the obvious answer is it's just good business to them, why buy  
something if they can get it for free. I think the reason it doesn't happen it  
other areas of the hospital is because they don't have a product to promote 
that  can be bought at the store directly like formula without the need of a dr.  
Formula is a "need" for *every baby* where as the number of needs for another 
 type of product is only for a specific group of people which  is smaller.
 
In Marsha's post she talks about HIPPA and how that should make  it wrong for 
the hospital to give out formula but they still do. But has HIPPA  changed 
this practice- of course not. Why? Because until things are *enforced*  it will 
not change. And formula is seen as so cultural and "ok" that to  many it isn't 
even considered as something wrong with giving them out and surely  formula 
doesn't fall under HIPPA. Gift bags are seen as something kind, you  give a 
gift when a baby is born to celebrate, to show the hospital cares etc. 
 
Kind of funny that *every* time I go to the dr./hospital I am signing that  
HIPPA paper!
 
Kim Ann Lorber
mom to 4 breastfed boys 
LLL Leader
 
 
 
 

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