Mead Johnson makes a beautiful, full-color, glossy, thick brochure for
doctors.  It is called "Your resource for mother satisfaction."  Not "your
resource for child health" notice....

Inside:

"The Enfamil family provides more infant formulas to meet more nutritional
needs; four infant formulas--Enfamil, Lactofree, ProSobee, Nutramigen--to
meet a range of tolerance needs: milk-based feeding, common feeding problems
when due to lactose sensitivity, family history of allergy/milk sensitivity,
colic due to milk protein allergy."

"Continued good nutrition with Next Step and Next Step Soy Toddler Formulas.
The Enfamily Family of Formulas Guide is organized so you can educate
parents in the logic of formula selection.  Helping pediatricians keep
infants happy and their parents satisfied for nearly 90 years."

Again, no mention of health, no mention of the logic of choosing formula
over breastfeeding to begin with.

Then there's a chart labeled "The Enfamily Family of Formulas*" where the
asterik directs you to tiny tiny print under the chart that reads: "If
breastfeeding is not chosen or a supplement is needed."

First page shows mother holding sleeping 4-month-old (?) baby with thumb in
its mouth and the caption reads "Now that we've got Jenny on the right
formula, we're all sleeping through."

Implying that the right formula can make a baby sleep through the night at a
very young age.  No mention that night waking is NORMAL for a baby this age
and may reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Next page shows mom kissing baby and the caption reads: "I've got a million
concerns.  Julie's formula isn't one of them."

IT OUGHTTA BE!

The info opposite this picture says "Multiple formulation improvements; most
recently, the development of a fat blend closer to that of breast milk than
our previous formulation....Extensive educational materials to uniquely
support mothers' needs for information....because you want every mother in
your practice to be satisfied."


Next page is for Lactofree, and shows mom holding one-year-old and says
"Feeding time is no longer fussy time for Ethan."  The copy mentions "The
lactose-free formula that resolves common feeding problems when due to
lactose sensitivity, for happy babies and satisfied moms."  Again, no
mention at all of HEALTH.

Next shows a dad and baby and the caption reads: "With our family history of
allergies, Amy's doctor said to start her on a soy formula."  Sounds like
Amy needs a NEW DOCTOR!!  The copy on the facing page says: "When a father
is sensitive to his family's allergies, your ProSobee recommendation can
help him feel satisfied instead."

Next page ad for Nutramigen shows mom holding tiny, dehydrated (?), anemic
(?), but cute baby, and the caption reads: "In two days, Sara's colic (due
to milk protein allergy) went away.  And so did my worries."

Next page ad for Next Step Toddler Formula shows mom and toddler and caption
reads: "Now I know Jamie is getting the iron she needs."  Mentions in the
copy on the facing page that is has six times as much of a bunch of
nutrients as cow's milk, and that three 8 oz. servings provide over 90% of
the RDA for iron for children ages 1 to 3 years, and over 50% of the RDA of
12 essential vitamins and minerals for toddlers aged 1 to 3 years."  [Hey,
let's hear it for not giving cow's milk til age three.  I LIKE IT.
Obviously if your child is breastfeeding instead of formula-feeding, then
they should continue breastfeeding until 3 years!]  Ends with "Satisfied the
demands of toddler nutrition as it satisfies mothers."  Again, no mention of
HEALTH!

Next page ad for Next Step Soy Toddler Formula shows Asian mom and daughter
and caption reads: "Joy's ready to switch from infant formula.  Where do we
go from here?"  Mentions that it is good tasting.  Wanna bet?

Next page ad for a variety of specialty formulas for children with inborn
errors of metabolism (PKU, Maple Syrup Urine Disease, etc.), shows dad and
baby and caption reads: "I'm so grateful there's a company that would make a
formula just for Emma."  No mention AT ALL on this page of "If breastfeding
is not CHOSEN....", just the implication that these babies can't be
breastfed at all.  And of course, the dad wouldn't be grateful that there's
a WOMAN who would make a formula just for Emma -- her mother!

Last page is an ad for Infalyte, their rehydration solution; shows mom and
child and caption reads: "Now when Joey gets diarrhea, I don't worry that
he'll get dehydrated."  Ad copy recommends alternating infalyte with breast
milk or one of their formulas.

Appalling, no?  And we think advertising just to doctors will be a step
forward??

Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Texas A&M University