I did a display at a maternity fair today and guess who had the booth beside
me? An  Artificial Baby Milk Company representative!!!
 These are some things I heard:
They really care about infants nutrition and want to be the best milk  that a
baby can receive etc.
She's a former ICU nurse and really knows the horrors of what can happen if
moms don't mix formula correct so she really needs to be in the hospital to
educate the nurses.
Education is why she is on the floor seeing the nurses.
Their company has a promotional in which nurses who distribute their
discharge packs can win a trip to the Grammy Awards. She was asked to leave
one hospital when she was delivering information on this promotion and she
left in tears because she was treated so rudely.
The lactose free formula is best for moms who are breastfeeding because
brestmilk has lactose in it and this balances out and takes care of all that
lactose.
The company now has cereal and baby food products to insure moms get the best
nutrition for the infants.
The company really believes breastfeeding is best but faces the reality of
the fact that not all moms can breastfeed and so they are there to help at
those times.
This Baby Friendly stuff is unrealistic becasue not everyone is going to
breastfeed.

No, I did not get into any debates with her. I just was very cheerful and
encouraging to all who stopped by my table. I was truly a shining beacon of
hope and enlightment to those who were momentarily blinded by the dazzling
free samples and signup for free cases to be delivered to their homes. I
helped them find their way to the true path. ( Hopefully).
This is a small neighboring hospital who has come quite a long way in
breastfeeding education, even offering postpartum home visits, classes, and a
moms support group. So I am encouraging to them on their journey as a
facility, helpful and supportive. Hopefully as they grow, they will discover
the joy of being Baby Friendly.
I have a queston: Are all ABM company  reps skinny, blond, 20 ish, and
wearing an expensive size 4 suit? It seems all I ever see are that or male,
20ish, expensive suit, and good looking. She did make me feel old and old
fashioned in my basic black skirt and white sweater.
It was interesting.
Barbara Whitehead, IBCLC

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