Formula companies have been using this ploy for many years to ingratiate
themselves into the maternity unit culture. Offering free education to
become Baby Friendly is a wolf in sheep's clothing. This is done to assure
that a hospital who is working towards Baby Friendly remains loyal to a
particular formula brand, especially when the discharge bags are no longer
distributed. Check with your Corporate Compliance Department to see if
accepting free staff education is in keeping with the avoidance of a
conflict of interest. Company sponsored education is designed to assure
that staff look kindly upon infant formula and do not hesitate to recommend
its use. The information in these offerings can be biased and tend to
neutralize the differences between infant formula and human milk. Baby
Friendly is seen as a threat to infant formula sales, as hospitals are
bribed to assure that formula is directly marketed to new mothers through
the healthcare system (a trusted entity in the eyes of the mother).

Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA

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