Very interesting, Kathleen.

In the UK M.J. promote themselves very heavily indeed to HPs, and in the
last few years have taken a lot of advertising space in the health
professional journals. I quote from one of their ads:

 ' in the UK our focus is on the *special* [their emphasis] needs of
infants and health professionals, since there are alrady many routine
formulas to choose from. So we provide new answers to feeding problems in
innovative ways....rather than the ordinary, we provide the extraordinary.'

They use Paddington Bear on their packs (is that the same in the US?).
Enfamil AR was advertised earlier this year, and so I guess it's already on
the market here. The packshot in the ad reads 'complete speciality formula
designed for infants with reflux or repeated posseting' (posseting is what
you call 'spitting up' I think).  It states it is suitable from birth
onwards.

As many of you know, direct promotion of formula to the consumer is not
allowed in the UK (though the manufacturers continually try to get round
this - see my article in the current Nursing Times, those of you who can
see this British journal, which is not online) and the big names in ABM
have the 'routine' market sewn up. M.J is not a household name itself,  nor
are its brands.   I would guess their long-term strategy is to make headway
with HPs with their large range of speciality  ABMs, to get a name and a
reputation, and then see if they get use that to get more than a foothold
in the routine market...rather like Milupa is currently doing.

Enfamil Lactofree is promoted as a milk to try before going on to soy
(which is not used all that much here;  fears of kidney problems and
phytoestrogen content have led to official advice to steer clear unless
unavoidable).

Sad, isn't it, to think of all these little babies (and their mothers)
being chopped and changed about in an attempt to find a milk that 'suits'
them.....

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK