The local salesman (aka rep) for one of the "big 2" described some data
he had about duration of breastfeeding in each of the hospitals in his
"circuit".  He claimed the data showed no significant difference in the
"dropout rate" between hospitals that gave the packs and ones that
didn't.  (Would have liked to know which were the ones that won't give
out the packs.)  Of course he was trying to get us to buy into the idea
that the packs have no impact on how long mom nurses.
He would not show us the data claiming confidentiality issues.  I have a
number of questions about the data.
First - Was it exclusive breastfeding they were looking at?  If not,
what was their definition?  If they looked at whether moms were
supplementing, was this with EBM or their product?  In some past studies
this differentiation was not made, so moms pumping at work and
exclisively breastmilk feeding were counted as "supplementing" right
along with the ones using formula!
Second - How did they get the names to contact?  Was it moms who called
their "hot line"?  Was it moms who had filled in info forms such as
joining their baby club?  In either case, they would not have had an
"across the board" sample.  The moms most "savvy" about avoiding using
formula would not have contacted them in the first place.  In the
hospitals that do their advertising for them, how many moms refused the
packs?  What impact might that have had on the data?  If they got data
from all breastfeeding moms, how did they get the names?  I would have
concerns about possible breaches of confidentiality if they somehow were
able to get names of every mom who was breastfeeding.  That's none of
their business anymore than it's my business to know the names of all
breastfeeding moms at other hospitals!
I've learned to read very carefully and be suspicious of any research
backed by a company that has a vested interest in the outcome of the
study.  When they cite "results" from the study without letting me read
the info and draw my own conclusions, my skepticism meter rises even
higher-through the roof even!!
Obviously they feel it necessary to gather/disseminate such data coupled
with the fact that they get coupons to the moms prenatally so they ask
for the bags.  This tells me that there are enough of you who have
gotten the packs eliminated that the companies are concerned and feel a
need to counter the trend!  It gives me hope that maybe in time we can
get rid of them even where I work.  (I'll believe that when I hear that
the devil is shopping for a fur coat!)
Winnie

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