Fulfilling the formula purchasing part of Step 6 in the Baby Friendly process
has slowed the process for many hospitals in becoming Baby Friendly. The
question about purchasing formula can be answered by the 11 hospitals who
have their certificate, as well as military hospitals, public hospitals, and
other hospitals who purchase formula the same way they purchase food for
other patients. There are a few things you can do:

1. Contact the hospitals with their certificate and find out how they did it.
2. Contact Baby-Friendly USA and ask for the publication called Barriers and
Solutions to the Global Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. Their address
is 8 Jan Sebastian Way, Unit 13, Sandwich, MA 02563, 508 888-8044, fax 508
888-8050
3. I have a handout on Ridding Your Institution of Infant Formula which I
will mail if you send a self-addressed stamped envelope
4. Understand why your hospital is addicted to free formula. Many hospitals
have a contract with a formula company which includes a large sum of cash
that is given to the hospital in exchange for accepting free formula and
distributing formula discharge packs. If a hospital buys formula it loses all
the cash, services, donuts, sports tickets, trinkets, literature, videos,
trips, etc that the formula companies use to enlist the hospital employees to
market the product.

Hospitals give the excuse that they cannot afford to buy formula (it will
have to come out of nursing's budget, it's too expensive, we get it free why
should we buy it, etc). The cost of food for all other patients is passed
onto the patients in the room and board charge. All the mashed potatoes and
jello are purchased and charged to the room. Formula is no different. It is a
food for a patient and can be charged to the room. Insurance carriers do not
dissect the room and board bill and refuse to pay for jello because you might
get it free from the manufacturer.

Buying formula means that a hospital must stop accepting the investment that
formula companies make in their best sales people.