I was dumbfounded by an ad I saw in Parenting magazine last night. Which I only read because it was lying there and free - M. has a categorical hate for all parenting-type magazines because they portray dads in such a negative light, and I have to say I agree with him.
The ad? Apparently Enfamil is now making a formula called "RestFull" Lipil. Designed to help babies feel full longer and sleep better. How so, exactly? "Enfamil RestFull is specially designed to thicken gently in your baby's tummy, and digest slowly. For a natural way to keep your baby feeling satisfied. So you both can rest better." Yes, that last sentence is actually bolded in their ad.
This just drives me crazy. First of all, natural? I'm sure there's nothing natural at all about whatever is in that formula to cause it to "thicken gently" in baby's tummy. What exactly are they putting in there? Second, I see this as yet another weapon in the arsenal to get moms to give up breastfeeding. Oh, you're exhausted because baby is waking up two or three times a night? Just try giving them a bottle of our special formula and they'll sleep so much better. One bottle at night won't hurt... And third, exactly how many types of formula do we need on the market? Enfamil's website has 10 different infant formulas alone, and also offers a variety of supplements and toddler products. Some of the different types are a necessity, of course, like the ones for premature babies and babies with food intolerances. But many simply prey on parents' insecurities, promising better brain development and stronger immune systems. Or in this case, they're preying on parents' exhaustion, a universal in new parenthood. Could they try any harder to make money off of us?
Please don't think this post is designed to bash formula-feeding moms. I'm one of them. I'm also supportive of moms that mix breastmilk and formula feeding, because I used to be one of those, too. I just can't believe that Enfamil is going to convince moms and dads that babies who don't sleep well at night can be "fixed." Sleeping is a developmental process. Either your baby is ready to sleep 11 hours at a time, or he/she is not. Nothing you feed them will make a difference. And in all likelihood, this stuff will give them so much gas that they'll be sleeping worse than ever. Don't fall for it, dear readers!!
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Completely agree. That sounds a little creepy.
ReplyDeleteIt's just sad what people will believe....
ReplyDeleteI saw that too. Ugh. Consider this: All marketing of infant formula, including distribution of free samples, is in violation of the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes. However, the U.S. has not signed this code into law, which allows the formula companies to find any way they can to undermine breastfeeding. Sad.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/code_english.pdf (See Article 5)
i saw that ad, too! i am still breastfeeding and i'm not going to lie, i thought about using it for a second!!! (at 10 months, jake does NOT sleep through the night).
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