Hi all, esp. Kathy A.

I'm quite certain that the reason the gift packs were started was simply
because EVERYONE gives a new mom a present.  It is a time of celebration and
gift giving and getting all new "stuff" hence the formula companies and all
the rest simply wanted to cash in on it.  When Jill & Torrey were born I not
only was the recipient of much formula (little did I know then) but also a
bag of goodies from "Gift Pax" I think it was - by the time I left the
hospital I had more little bottles of Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo than I
could count.  I think it lasted us a year.  (I was an employee there so was
given 9 or 10 of these pax).  It also had sample size boxes of Dreft, reading
materials, Emperin (in those days), baby powder, etc. etc.  The hospital here
in the Wheaton area wouldn't give them out because it was "endorsing
products".  However, they didn't see that giving out formula packs was far
more detrimental and did exactly the same thing!  New moms expect presents.
 A patient in for a stroke or gall bladder surgery doesn't.

Jan B.