Jeanette Panchula wrote:

What if we just had a "government issue" formula with a generic label that
would NOT MARKET the formula they were purchasing?   Just like the
Government issue cheese and milk we used to get in Puerto Rico (and the
PEANUT BUTTER that our culture would NEVER consume...)?



Of course I would like to think that all moms would eventually breastfeed -
but if we can't get to that point this decade, can we get to the point where
the government is not MARKETING formula?



Hi Jeanette:

This was done in Britain during World War II, with National Dried Milk
provided free to mothers.  While done with the best will in the world, other
authors have found that it actually resulted in more mothers turning to
artificial feeding - to use something free that was *endorsed* by the
*government*.  The implication, at least as seen by some of the mothers, was
that it must be better.  Government involvement in providing a generic,
government-issue product could well backfire, even more so today in a
culture where artificial feeding is seen as totally normal and exclusive
breastfeeding as aberrant.  The government-issue peanut butter you mentioned
as not being culturally acceptable in Puerto Rico is an example of culture
vs uptake of a generic product.  No such barrier exists to acceptance - and
use - of substances used for artificial feeding of babies.



Virginia

In Brisbane where it is fine, but far too hot.


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