Child Nutrition – Oregon Department of Public Health Finds New Mom Gift Bags Reduce Breastfeeding Duration

By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kid’s Nutrition Specialist

 
Although many hospitals tout the benefits of breastfeeding, new mothers are often sent home with gift bags filled with free infant formula samples. A recent study by the Oregon Department of Public Health found that mothers who take home hospital gift bags containing infant formula are more likely to wean their babies from the breast by 10 weeks of age. 

The study examined the survey responses of 2,684 women, two-thirds of whom reported taking home a gift bag from the hospital. Women who received the gift bags were more likely to stop breastfeeding within 10 weeks than those mothers who did not receive gift bags.  The study also revealed that age and income may play a larger role in a mother’s decision of whether or not to breastfeed.  The Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition began a national campaign last year to “Ban the Bags” in order to cease hospitals from accepting discharge gift bags for new mothers with free samples of expensive formula.  The coalition had been successful at banning formula company logo'ed gift bags at hospitals across the United States, with Portland being the first US city to ban the bags citywide.

Another poignant, recent article discusses the big business of providing formula and foods to infants and children.  The World Health Organization prohibits the promotion of infant formula at the expense of breast milk.  Critics claim this only scratches the surface of the very complicated world of marketing.