Many of the questions Julie asks about commercial discharge bags?can be helped by accessing the Ban the Bags website at www.banthebags.org. When a hospital eliminates the commercial?bags, it does so for all mothers, not just breastfeeding mothers. Most hospitals either don't give out anything or give out their own bag, advertising the birthing services of the hospital. The marketing department loves this and will often pay for the bags. If a mother wants the commercial one she can call the company's 800 number and ask for one. Hospitals explain to mothers who ask about commercial bags that they are not given out due to ethical concerns regarding marketing of products to patients.

Sometimes formula companies threaten to withdraw all other free supplies and equipment if the bags are not distributed, but this is often an idle threat. They may come up with some ridiculous amount of money that the hospital will have to pay for these items, but that is often based on an overblown assessment of what products are worth.?Sometimes there is no threat at all, just a nurse or administrator who thinks this might happen. This practice may violate OIG, Anti-Kickback and FTC gifts and advertising prohibitions. Bags have one purpose only and that is to create customers. Once a hospital becomes addicted to formula company financial support it is hard for them to see that the institution will run just fine without it. A good article to read about this topic is:


Becoming Baby-Friendly: Overcoming the Issue of Accepting Free Formula

Anne Merewood, MA, IBCLC, and Barbara L. Philipp, MD, IBCLC

J Hum Lact 16(4), 2000


Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA


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