If you wanted to eat a healthy lunch, but had a craving to scarf down two Mars bars instead, would you call the Mars company for advice on how to curb your cravings? If you were trying to get in shape and exercise, but didn't feel like going for your morning run, would you call your couch potato friend who always tries to convince you to skip your workouts and join her on the couch? If you were struggling to remain faithful to your spouse, would you call the hot guy who is always flirting with you at work for advice? If you were struggling with breastfeeding, but really wanted to continue, would you call an infant formula manufacturer for advice?
I hope the answer in all cases is an emphatic "NO!"But if you were an online media property that is trying to turn a profit, would you be willing to sell-out your breastfeeding readers, by feeding them a wolf in sheep's clothing? Would you be willing to partner with Similac, an infant formula company, on your
Breastfeeding Guide?
I wouldn't. But apparently Babble and Similac see nothing wrong with this scenario.
Most of us (including Dou-la-la and I) realize that infant formula companies are not really there to support breastfeeding moms, they are there to sabotage them. The Similac sponsorship of the Babble guide goes beyond simple advertising and takes things to a whole new level. The Common Breastfeeding Problems section of the Breastfeeding Guide is clearly marked as being "brought to you by Similac". It includes a large banner at the top encouraging you to call a Feeding Expert for your baby's breastfeeding problems. They indicate that "lactation consultants" are available, but I doubt they are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC), since their Code of Ethics would prevent them from working for an infant formula company. The huge ad to the right of the content even encourages you to enter your mobile number so that someone from Similac can text you their phone number, but who knows what else they will do with your phone number.
Want to take action?
If you want to take action against this ridiculous pairing, I have a few suggestions.
Mystery Calls to Similac
The information in Babble's breastfeeding guide is lightweight at best and doesn't even begin to provide true guidance for dealing with breastfeeding problems. So if you are left wanting more, you may be tempted to pick up the phone and call that number for Similac, especially when they are promising lactation consultants and the text of the guide tells you over and over to contact a lactation consultant.
But what is the quality of the advice you would be getting?
I know a few people who have called already today and I have been told that the advice they were given was not necessarily wrong, but it also wasn't complete. They would give people one small tip that might help with a problem, rather than truly assessing the problem or giving full information on possible solutions to the problem.
Do you want to test the quality of the advice that Similac is giving?
If you do, here is what I would suggest:
Tell Babble this is not appropriate
For Similac and the other infant formula companies, this is nothing new. They will do anything they can to get breastfeeding moms to call them and talk to them. They would love nothing more than to have moms think that they will get good breastfeeding advice from them, while attempting to subtly sabotage their attempts at breastfeeding (see, for example, the quality of breastfeeding advice offered by Nestle). So telling them what you think of their marketing campaign may not get you very far.
However, as I've said before, it may be more effective to express our concerns to the intermediaries that help formula companies spread their message. So tell Babble that you do not think it is appropriate for them to have a Breastfeeding Concerns section that is sponsored by Similac because it is deceptive and because it violates the WHO Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes.
You can do this by:
- Sending an e-mail to Babble: Send an e-mail to the Babble CEO Rufus Griscom at rufus@babble.com and copy Alisa Volkman at advertising@babble.com (she is listed on their website as being the contact for advertising).
- Expressing your concern on Babble.com's Facebook page: Tell Babble what you think of its infant formula sponsored breastfeeding guide by leaving a comment on the wall of the Babble Facebook page. You will have to become a "fan" of Babble to be able to leave a comment and need to go to the "Babble.com + Others" tab to see what people are saying about Babble.
I truly hope that this was a mistake by someone who obviously doesn't understand the role that infant formula companies play in trying to sabotage breastfeeding women and that once it is pointed out to them, that they will take down that section and consider linking to some real breastfeeding support websites like La Leche League or Kellymom or others.
Help spread the word
Please help inform people that breastfeeding support from a formula company is not okay and encourage them to put pressure on Babble too by sharing this post with your friends on facebook, twitter, StumbleUpon and elsewhere. Just click on the Share button at the bottom of this post for options on where to share it. Thank you.
Friday, September 3, 2010 
Reader Comments (232)
LisaReneeRN:
I don't doubt that there are some fabulous, extremely experienced and competent nurses when it comes to educating and helping moms with breastfeeding.
The advantage that an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant has, is that that person is guaranteed to have hundreds of hours of lactation specific clinical experience, education in human lactation and breastfeeding, and have passed comprehensive exams. They also need to be re-certified every 5 years, ensuring that their education is always up-to-date. They also have to adhere to the IBCLE Code of Ethics, which includes not working for formula companies
There are probably many nurses that have great breastfeeding knowledge and lots of experience. But there is no guarantee of that when a nurse walks into your room to help you and your baby with breastfeeding. I had some great nurses and I also had some horrible ones. As an example, when my son still wasn't latching on 24 hours after birth, the nurses should have been suggesting that he be checked for tongue tie (especially since the nurse that eventually did recommend that could see the tongue tie), rather than recommending that he "have just a little bit of formula so that he'll know what it feels like to have a full tummy."
With regards to formula advertising versus drug advertising, I know our regulations are different here in Canada, but I see more formula ads on TV than I do drug ads. I don't think that moms who fall for the myths that formula companies are perpetuating are "stupid." I think that many of them are simply uneducated about breastfeeding, frustrated when things aren't going well, and don't understand the motivation that formula companies have to try to manipulate moms.
A year later, I have to say that the IBCLC is a great idea, but not always a great practice. I made sure that the three lactation consultants I relied on in my early days nursing were certified, and two of them gave me formula. Like. Free samples. Here you go, you're having trouble, formula isn't going to kill the kid and breastmilk won't make her fly, so if you need to, here it is. In contrast, the night nurse (who at the time I hated and called a tit terrorist on my blog, if memory serves) was not a certified lactation consultant, but she played hardball when it came to nursing. I told the hospital during labor that I wanted to breastfeed, but was in so much pain from the initial feedings that I begged for formula that night, a mere six hours after giving birth. The night nurse refused to give it to me, kept repeating that breast is best, telling me that she could help me out or find someone who would, that her job was to help me accomplish my goals, etc. At the time, I really hated that night nurse and loved one of the formula-doling lactation consultants, but in retrospect and with more knowledge, I've changed my tune. Now I feel like those two IBCLCs probably contributed to my early difficulties by helping me supplement instead of empowering me to nurse exclusively - and I've written a letter to the hospital commending the night nurse.
It's a really great idea, and I'm actually currently in the process of finishing my certification (as a birth photographer, I find that I'm constantly helping new mothers start breastfeeding - and if I'm going to be there helping out, I may as well be fully educated, right? I mean, it isn't really fair to those women if I'm not), so I obviously value it. But I still believe that the experience and education of nurses like LisaReneeRN may (and in the case of two of the three IBCLCs that I saw postpartum, sometimes do) trump the certification. Just as we cannot be sure that a nurse walking into our hospital room is going to help us establish functional and successful breastfeeding relationships, we cannot be sure that a certified lactation consultant will either. Yes, there's a better chance that someone who is up-to-date on lactation news and who has agreed to a code of ethics, etc, will help, but there's still no guarantee. And like anything, the certification is only as good as its weakest link. Maybe my experience was a rarity, or maybe it
I think our best bet is just to hope breastfeeding becomes so commonplace that we all have access to factual information and beneficial lactation assistance from mainstream culture and society. Recouping our lost body of knowledge about nursing will probably never happen in my lifetime, but I think it would be awesome if women could turn to their friends and family and know they'd receive all the support and education they could ever want.
A year later, I have to say that the IBCLC is a great idea, but not always a great practice. I made sure that the three lactation consultants I relied on in my early days nursing were certified, and two of them gave me formula. Like. Free samples. Here you go, you're having trouble, formula isn't going to kill the kid and breastmilk won't make her fly, so if you need to, here it is. In contrast, the night nurse (who at the time I hated and called a tit terrorist on my blog, if memory serves) was not a certified lactation consultant, but she played hardball when it came to nursing. I told the hospital during labor that I wanted to breastfeed, but was in so much pain from the initial feedings that I begged for formula that night, a mere six hours after giving birth. The night nurse refused to give it to me, kept repeating that breast is best, telling me that she could help me out or find someone who would, that her job was to help me accomplish my goals, etc. At the time, I really hated that night nurse and loved one of the formula-doling lactation consultants, but in retrospect and with more knowledge, I've changed my tune. Now I feel like those two IBCLCs probably contributed to my early difficulties by helping me supplement instead of empowering me to nurse exclusively - and I've written a letter to the hospital commending the night nurse.
It's a really great idea, and I'm actually currently in the process of finishing my certification (as a birth photographer, I find that I'm constantly helping new mothers start breastfeeding - and if I'm going to be there helping out, I may as well be fully educated, right? I mean, it isn't really fair to those women if I'm not), so I obviously value it. But I still believe that the experience and education of nurses like LisaReneeRN may (and in the case of two of the three IBCLCs that I saw postpartum, sometimes do) trump the certification. Just as we cannot be sure that a nurse walking into our hospital room is going to help us establish functional and successful breastfeeding relationships, we cannot be sure that a certified lactation consultant will either. Yes, there's a better chance that someone who is up-to-date on lactation news and who has agreed to a code of ethics, etc, will help, but there's still no guarantee. And like anything, the certification is only as good as its weakest link. Maybe my experience was a rarity, or maybe it
I think our best bet is just to hope breastfeeding becomes so commonplace that we all have access to factual information and beneficial lactation assistance from mainstream culture and society. Recouping our lost body of knowledge about nursing will probably never happen in my lifetime, but I think it would be awesome if women could turn to their friends and family and know they'd receive all the support and education they could ever want.
A year later, I have to say that the IBCLC is a great idea, but not always a great practice. I made sure that the three lactation consultants I relied on in my early days nursing were certified, and two of them gave me formula. Like. Free samples. Here you go, you're having trouble, formula isn't going to kill the kid and breastmilk won't make her fly, so if you need to, here it is. In contrast, the night nurse (who at the time I hated and called a tit terrorist on my blog, if memory serves) was not a certified lactation consultant, but she played hardball when it came to nursing. I told the hospital during labor that I wanted to breastfeed, but was in so much pain from the initial feedings that I begged for formula that night, a mere six hours after giving birth. The night nurse refused to give it to me, kept repeating that breast is best, telling me that she could help me out or find someone who would, that her job was to help me accomplish my goals, etc. At the time, I really hated that night nurse and loved one of the formula-doling lactation consultants, but in retrospect and with more knowledge, I've changed my tune. Now I feel like those two IBCLCs probably contributed to my early difficulties by helping me supplement instead of empowering me to nurse exclusively - and I've written a letter to the hospital commending the night nurse.
It's a really great idea, and I'm actually currently in the process of finishing my certification (as a birth photographer, I find that I'm constantly helping new mothers start breastfeeding - and if I'm going to be there helping out, I may as well be fully educated, right? I mean, it isn't really fair to those women if I'm not), so I obviously value it. But I still believe that the experience and education of nurses like LisaReneeRN may (and in the case of two of the three IBCLCs that I saw postpartum, sometimes do) trump the certification. Just as we cannot be sure that a nurse walking into our hospital room is going to help us establish functional and successful breastfeeding relationships, we cannot be sure that a certified lactation consultant will either. Yes, there's a better chance that someone who is up-to-date on lactation news and who has agreed to a code of ethics, etc, will help, but there's still no guarantee. And like anything, the certification is only as good as its weakest link.
I think our best bet is just to hope breastfeeding becomes so commonplace that we all have access to factual information and beneficial lactation assistance from mainstream culture and society. Recouping our lost body of knowledge about nursing will probably never happen in my lifetime, but I think it would be awesome if women could turn to their friends and family and know they'd receive all the support and education they could ever want.
Stephanie-
I'm with you. We couldn't stay in our house on my husband's salary, that's why he stayed home. I wasn't supplementing when I returned to work, but we started not long after. I'm fortunate that I was determined to breastfeed as much as I could. We coslept and night-nursed. My child got whatever I could pump first, and only if he needed food after that did he get formula.
I really stressed out trying to exclusively feed my son breastmilk for quite some time after I returned to work. But the nursing ALL. NIGHT. LONG., pumping EVERY. FREE. MOMENT at work, and then coming home to a baby that had been hungry for two hours, and a husband who was stressed out from crying babe, was entirely too much. The ~2 oz of formula per day in the afternoon saved my husband's sanity as much as my own.
[...] which Similac sponsors Babble’s Breastfeeding Guide – after first reading about it on PhD in Parenting. Maya said: You might ask why I care whether a formula company sponsors a breastfeeding portion of [...]
[...] less I like them. Reason number three: Breastfeeding, Babble, and Business at Marf Mom. Prompted by PhD in Parenting’s post about the unethical advertisement of a formula company-run “Feeding Experts” hotline on [...]
My local Women's Shelter takes unopened formula samples when the food banks will not. I agree that throwing it away is not the best choice.
This article is just stupid. Formula companies are not out to anyone or 'sabatoge them' as you say. They are there to help those who choose not to breast feed or can't. I have NEVER seen anything on any formula site that says don't breast feed. In fact, they encourage it. And who cares if they sponsored the info. It's good info. I am so sick of you people bashing those who choose not to or can't breast feed. Who are you to judge? Find real a real cause like child abuse! I know all of you are going to jump on this post and bash me, but I don't really care. Someone needs to tell you to stop judging and putting blame on companies. The one thing I do agree with is that breastfeeding should be accepted in public. If a moron is offended, he/she should look away.
weulf:
Of course they don't have anything on their website that says "don't breastfeed". They would be crucified for that.
Instead they use subtle and not-so-subtle tactics to try to convince moms who are struggling with breastfeeding that formula is the answer. On the subtle side, they http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/11/04/helping-themselves-breastfeeding-advice-nestle-style/" rel="nofollow">give out bad breastfeeding advice that is likely to contribute to a mom's inability to breastfeed. On the not-so-subtle side, they purchase Google ads that promise breastfeeding help, but that lead you to a formula site, like this one that is just a disguise for a link to the Similac Club:
http://www.phdinparenting.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/google-breastfeeding-help-similac.jpg
More examples of that here: http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/05/04/sabotage/" rel="nofollow">Sabotage
EDITED TO ADD: Important to read the Sabotage article as apparently the content at the URL listed in the ad I posted a link to has changed.
[...] websites that claim to provide breastfeeding support while not-so-subtly marketing formula, kellymom totally supports breastfeeding and provides information to help moms and babies get [...]
I came back to this post to comment after learning hearing something tonight that seemed to me outrageous, and immediately reminded me of this discussion.
I am currently enrolled in the Lactation Education Counselor Training program at University of California San Diego. The curriculum was written and is taught by Gini Baker, RN, MPH, IBCLC. Many know her, or have at least heard of her, if they work/study within the field of lactation, as she is a dynamic teacher, and has taught thousands of students all over the world. In her lecture this evening she was talking about formula companies/guilt/marketing and mentioned an interesting and very telling tidbit. She told the class she was offered $250,000/year salary by a formula company (she did not give the name) to work as a Lactation Consultant for them. My jaw fell to the floor when those words came out of her mouth.
For those who think that formula companies are not interested in sabotaging breastfeeding for monetary gain, I can find no clearer example to show you. As I mentioned she trains thousands all over the world, and if you think about the effect that she as a teacher, a really good teacher, could have on the bottom line of a formula company, then you might see why they would offer to pay her such a sum.
Lara:
That sounds very similar to what a friend of mine, who works in PR, was offered to work for a tobacco company. Companies that use deceitful marketing practices need to pay people a lot more because they are signing a deal with the devil when they accept those jobs. I understand that formula, unlike cigarettes, has a time and place, but the marketing practices that they use are just as horrible.
How is giving advice contributing to moms inability to breastfeed? You are assuming that moms only look at formula company websites when researching breast feeding. When in actuality, research shows, moms go to their own moms and doctor for advice first. More than just formula companies this type of advise as well. You read way to much into this.
And how is Google ad link any different than any other link? At least when you click on it, the company is upfront and states it's a formula company.
I know this site is dedicated to those who believe breastfeeding is the ONLY way to go or your a bad mom. But you need to look at this issue from all sides. Not just one. Are formula companies out to make money? Sure! Tell me one company that's not. But claiming that they are trying to tell mom that breastfeeding is hard or not healthy is just
way over the top. Should formula companies not mention breastfeeding at all? If they didn't, there would be complaints about that! Like I said, child abuse and neglect are much more important issues in this country. And feeding a child formula does not fall into these categories! Formula companies are here to stay. Instead of complaining, why not be proactive and tell them what would be appropriate breastfeeding info for them provide to moms. I know it's hard to believe, but not all moms can or want to breastfeed.
How is giving advice contributing to moms inability to breastfeed? You are assuming that moms only look at formula company websites when researching breast feeding.
When formula companies place advertising on things like the Babble breastfeeding guide or place Google ads for keywords like "breastfeeding help" and "breastfeeding support" and then provide advice that is bad advice, then they are contributing to moms inability to breastfeed. It is not the only barrier, that is for sure. I've listed many of the other ones in my post on the societal barriers to breastfeeding (and those barriers do include bad out of date advice from medical professionals and their own moms -- nevermind that many of their moms didn't breastfeed, which means they won't have any advice to give or their advice is likely to be useless).
Should formula companies not mention breastfeeding at all? ... Instead of complaining, why not be proactive and tell them what would be appropriate breastfeeding info for them provide to moms.
They should mention that 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years is what is recommended by leading health authorities. They should mention that if mothers need help with breastfeeding, they should contact an International Board Certified Lactation consultant and/or one of many other reputable breastfeeding support organizations or websites, such as the ones I listed in a http://www.rookiemoms.com/breastfeeding-resources-for-rookies/" rel="nofollow">breastfeeding resources guide for Rookie Moms.
I have told them that before, but they don't want to listen and don't care. The more times they mention breastfeeding on their website, the more likely it is to come up in search results for breastfeeding, which will lead moms to their shoddy advice and their products.
I know this site is dedicated to those who believe breastfeeding is the ONLY way to go or your a bad mom. .... I know it’s hard to believe, but not all moms can or want to breastfeed.
No, that isn't what it is dedicated to. This site is dedicated, broadly, to advocacy and research on parenting issues. I believe in informed choice on how to feed infants. I believe that women who choose to breastfeed and women who choose to formula feed should be supported in their choice. But I also believe in battling the things that keep moms from being able to meet their own parenting goals and the deceitful tactics of a lot of companies (including, but not limited to formula companies) is part of that.
[...] wasn’t worth participating (Breastfeeding Moms Unite did a particularly great job with it. PhD in Parenting has some posts about why Babble is problematic, as does Best for [...]
[...] little while back, there was some controversy surrounding online parenting resource Babble.com, and its relationship with formula companies, [...]
[...] getting a response from Old Navy over an ill-advised onesie slogan. And in previous weeks, another PhD in Parenting post about formula advertising in the breastfeeding advice section of a popular web... put enough pressure on its administrators so they removed it. We CAN make changes when we see [...]
[...] (a formula company) Application which is said to help with breastfeeding – which I agree is undermining and misleading. Her post was balanced, fair, and not once accusatory or derogatory towards formula feeding MOTHERS, [...]
[...] you remember Phdinparenting’s fantastic post, ”Similac and Babble.com Team Up to Dupe Breastfeeding Moms“? In the aftermath of outraged reader comments, letters to Babble.com, a flurry of [...]
[...] IN to her cleavage, then FADE to black. Background here, here, and to a lesser degree [...]
I must say, I'm a little frustrated with this blog. I am currently bf my 2nd child. I became pregnant when my first was only 4 months old. I do not have the 'typical' job nor schedule. I started having production problems. I do not live near family. I did not have any one to call for help with bf. I happened to call Similac. They were very helpful. They encouraged me to continue bf as long as possible and gave me ideas to help try to increase my production. I even called asking some questions with my newest baby. They are giving over the phone advice meaning they can only give so much. Seriously, most lc want to come to your house so they can watch what you are doing to make sure they can give the best advice. I was just not able to afford it with the first child. and yes, I get that in the long run it would have been cheaper but my bank account in the negative does not understand the long-run. I was pleased a formula company was willing to promote bf to the best of their ability. At least they are trying and encouraging bf. I hate you seem to be so negative. I believe in breastfeeding! I think it is best and I will do my best to continue as long as possible with my 2 month old. With that being said, I will not beat myself up if I can't. I'm not a bad mother and I'm not less of a person. I promote bf every chance I get and actually have made friends who didn't bf wich they had. Maybe we should try to promote bf in a more positive light. Maybe contact Similac and tell them we appreciate their effort for promoting bf and educate them on betters ways to help their clientel. Have you tried calling a 800-ask-a-nurse hotline? You still only get so much good advice then liability kicks in. Same with your dr. Bf has enough negativity associated with it. Why don't we as bfers try to help promote and educate instead of always playing the victim.
Randi:
I'm glad you got good advice from Similac.
The point is, however, that moms cannot necessarily trust that advice to be neutral and professional. I know that not everyone can afford a lactation consultant, but there are LLL meetings and online message boards (like kellymom) that provide excellent breastfeeding advice without any conflict of interest.
I agree with your last line about promoting and educating, which is why I spent years as a moderator on the kellymom message boards. There are other moms there now that are very knowledgeable and that are doing wonderful work.
[...] little over a year ago, I wrote a post calling out popular parenting website Babble for trying to dupe breastfeeding moms by putting ads for a 1-800 number feeding expert line run by infant formula brand Similac on its [...]
This reminds me of the tobacco or alcohol industry also footing the bill for anti-tobacco and anti-underage drinking messages. (For example: http://www.centurycouncil.org/stop-underage-drinking) It is a conflict of interest, for sure. The same with political "informative" brochures. You always need to know who the sponsor is, who is paying for this message and why. Most of the messages we get through the media are not pure, there is always a funder and an agenda. We don't get helpful important information out of the goodness of anyone's heart... follow the money. The widespread use of blogs and social media really helps all of us to hear voices and truths that do not have big bucks sponsors to back them up. Keep up the good work here.
I find this offensive and wrong too. How could anyone at Babble see this is okay? Thank-you for pointing this out and getting the word out there.
I've used the similac hoTline SEVERAL times and I think they are wonderful and helpful. More helpful actually the the Le leche Leauge people I've contacted.
Con or not they helped me with some difficult bfing questions when le leche didn't return my calls or emails I personally don't think it's a scam
Even though it is wierd to have a formula company providing breastfeeding support and that it probably has intentions to make a profit, i have found their LCs wonderful. I called them during several some rough, middle of the night breastfeeding crisis and they helped tremendously. Each of those calls, i wanted to give up and turn to formula. I was coached by the LCs to continue BF and not use formula, that it was not needed in my case. Because of their help, i have not given my baby a drop of formula yet. The LCs were warmer and more supportive than the hospital LCs. Plus, the LCs from the similac hotline gave similar advice to what i have researched and learned from hospital LCs. I understand the skepticism but i am thankful to have had this resource during some challenging nights....
[...] plug something they found important- another Disney owned website, Babble (a website questioned for unethical promotion of formula to breastfeeding moms). They showed an article claiming we were “milking the moment” on GMA and they linked to it on [...]
I didn't read all the comments on here , or did I check out the Babble page. I have however called the Similac Experts and have talked with their lactation consultants numerous times and have gotten a lot of helpful and important breastfeeding information from them. In fact I called when my son was seven months old asking for weaning advice and they actually encouraged me to continue breastfeeding until he was a year old, I took their advice and am still breastfeeding, and glad I am. The LC's are very friendly, knowledgable and down to earth . I have recommended the group to several of my breastfeeding friends with infants I have never thought it was a scam.
Not everyone can breastfeed. My milk never came in I worked with several lactation specialist but they couldn't make my milk come in. I have also dealt with the similac feeding experts regarding breastfeeding as well as formula and I think they are wonderful and truly care