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My Baby Formula Dilemma
Thursday, October 25, 2007

Although I am a breastfeeding advocate, should I turn down money from a formula company to run ads on one of my web sites?

Mobile post sent by Jennifer J using Utterz.

Replies.

posted by Jennifer James @ 9:41 AM,

18 Comments:

At October 25, 2007 9:44 AM, Dawn said...: I'm a breastfeeding advocate, too, albeit one who used formula to feed my second (adopted) child rather than relactating (I nursed my son for 4.5 years). I'd turn it down.
At October 25, 2007 9:57 AM, eeyorespage said...: IMO I would take the money. There are reasons women don't breastfeed that are "acceptable" (can't think of any other word to use) even to breastfeeding advocates. For example, adoptive moms can't usually breastfeed. I don't think taking there money and having their ad on your website would in any way diminish your passion for breastfeeding.
At October 25, 2007 10:17 AM, Eilat said...: I think you should turn them down. as others have said, there is a place for formula in this world (adopted babies, rare cases where mothers really physcially cant breastfeed). However, it is the advertising tactics of the formula companies that have led to such abysmally low breastfeeding rates, as you have documented here in your blog.
When a breastfeeding advocate has a formula ad, it might say to a newcomer to your sight "oh, she supports breastfeeding, but this BRAND must be OK too". It might actually suggest that a certain brand of formula is closer to breastmilk just by seeing it on the blog of a breastfeeding advocate.
Their money is tainted with such ugliness, Id definitely turn it down.
At October 25, 2007 10:31 AM, Eilat said...: (sorry for the multiple comments, I had another thought...)
Re: Mothering magazine,

Not only have they never run any formula ads, but there was an article about a year and a half ago about the pervasiveness of bottles in our culture and they mentioned that they have always had a policy of not even advertising for bottles in their magazine.

I hear you about the $$$ thing. Its really hard to turn down good money, but think about where that money came from. Not to be too dramatic, but its tainted money in my mind. How many low-income moms gave up on breastfeeding because the nurse in their hospital got a nice lunch from the formula rep? I actually really resent those parenting magazines for putting formula ads in their pages, usually right before or after the one highly uninformative breastfeeding article.
The sad thing about breastfeeding is that dollar for dollar, it cant compete with formula. There is no money in breastfeeding :-(
At October 25, 2007 11:09 AM, Sheryl said...: Please check out the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes, adopted by member states of the World Health Organization in 1981, and available on the WHO website.

The Code calls for an end to all direct-to-consumer advertising of infant formula. Many countries, including Austria, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Peru, Guatemala and Brazil have adopted some or all of its provisions into law. Keeping the blog Code compliant would, in my opinion, be an important signal to readers.
At October 25, 2007 11:41 AM, Crunchy Domestic Goddess said...: personally, i would turn it down without a second thought.

yes, there are women who want to breastfeed and can't, but i believe they will find the information about formulas without an ad on your site.

i disagree with eeyorespage "I don't think taking there money and having their ad on your website would in any way diminish your passion for breastfeeding." if i saw ads for formula on a breastfeeding advocacy site, i would seriously question their motives and anything they had to say.
just my .02.

amy
At October 25, 2007 11:44 AM, Crunchy Domestic Goddess said...: oops. wanted to add regardless of if it's on your breastfeeding advocacy site or on another site that you own, i still think that you should turn it down. it's an endorsement for their formula and if i were you, i wouldn't want to open that can of worms.
At October 25, 2007 12:23 PM, Reiza said...: I would turn them down.

When one presents formula ads/samples/paraphernalia, the audience has to wonder how breastfeeding friendly/informed the person in question truly is.

We don't need yet another area where moms are told (explicitly or implied) the lie that, "Breast is best, but look, here's an alternative that's just as good."
At October 25, 2007 12:29 PM, Radical Catholic Mom said...: YES!ie
At October 25, 2007 12:32 PM, Anonymous said...: I don't see how this can even be a question. The bottom line of your website may be $$$, but that is the same excuse the formula companies use for their nasty, undermining marketing tactics.

The reality of it is, if breastfeeding were valued as the biological norm that it is, there would be NO NEED for formula. Breastmilk banks would solicit and distribute formula the same way blood banks do. Our society may have an insane amount of problems to overcome before anything like that can happen, but it is true.

I can imagine how hard it must me to turn down money from an ad source, but think of it this way - would you accept advertisments from a tobacco company? This question is not to equate smoking with formula feeding, so please do not slam me for that. This is an example on which everyone agrees - tobacco advertising is harmful. So is formula advertising.

I respect you and have learned a lot from you and your blogs. Accepting advertising from a formula company would, sadly, lower my opinion of your ethics.
At October 25, 2007 12:41 PM, Azúcar said...: I wouldn't take it.

I know the money is tempting, especially as someone who needs to generate revenue. However, I couldn't in good conscious display that kind of double message. Supporting the formula companies that continually violate international law kind of rankles me. I would feel alternately flattered and insulted by the offer: flattered because they obviously think you're powerful enough to participate in their marketing; insulted because they think you can be bought off from your principles.

I would, of course, accept any decision that you arrived at; it's your blog and your life.
At October 25, 2007 12:56 PM, Jennifer James said...: Thank you for all your opinions! I got momentary swirly eyes because of the possibilites of what I could do with the cash. But, as far as actually putting a formula ad on the site -- I wouldn't be able to do it and then blog here on a regular basis with a straight face.

But when presented with the possibility, I have to admit, my evil side started to rationalize how I could still be a good lactivist and also run formula ads. After all, businesses do these types of things all the time with little to no remorse. The thing is, I'm not a big business. I am a breastfeeding advocate, but was temporarily drunk with temptation.
At October 25, 2007 2:10 PM, Doulala said...: Speaking as a former formula and breast feeder, I wouldn't do it.
Formula companies get enough advertisement (that they shouldn't.) They have commercials, free goodie bags in the doctors offices & hospitals, the "free samples" that we get bombarded with if we sign up for anything remotely pregnancy/baby related.
Nah, don't give them anymore space, they take too much as it is.
At October 25, 2007 3:32 PM, Paula said...: dont do it!
At October 25, 2007 6:24 PM, steelwingedbutterfly said...: It's amazing that they even want to advertise here, do they even read your blog?
It depends how deep your philosophy runs, whether you let them advertise or not. Does it just affect just your personal life, or does it affect your business and realms of influence?
At October 25, 2007 10:04 PM, Elizabeth F. said...: I'm chiming in late here...
I definitely think you should NOT take money or advertise for formula companies. You are here to promote breastfeeding as the best choice for mothers and babies. Any advertisement would be a conflict of that interest, if that is your interest?? Formula companies have lots of money to advertise elsewhere, and if you stick true to your cause YOU will be blessed with money from another source, I'm sure of it! And besides I think you would lose readers and their respect if you did that.
At October 27, 2007 9:37 AM, Mama Bear said...: I know you pretty much made your decision, but I can't NOT comment on this.

DON'T do it. Please. The formula companies would love nothing more than to advertise on spaces that talk accurately about breastfeeding, because it lends them (false) legitimacy by association. Your readers, especially new ones, would either (1) wonder why there's a formula ad on a breastfeeding site, and not come back or (2) not wonder why there's a formula ad, and take it as endorsement of a particular formula ("Oh, it must be 'just as good' as breastfeeding, since this is a breastfeeding blog.") Either way, it's a net detriment for everyone.

I can certainly understand the temptation of money, but if I know your heart like I think I do, I don't think you're the kind of gal to sell out so easily. (And this is coming from a person who does not sell any advertising on her site, so everything needs to be paid for out of pocket).

If you're interested in receiving ad revenue, why not contact Medela or Lansinoh? They might be interested, and they are companies that are compatible with breastfeeding.
At November 3, 2007 10:09 AM, The Lactation Sensation said...: Absolutely turn it down! I think blogs like yours are wonderful bc of the integrity you have and the support that you truly show for the cause. You have earned respect from your readers, I would not compromise that at all. It also just goes to show the dirty thinking of the formula company, why would they want to advertise on a breastfeeding site? So they can get breastfeeders to read about their formula. I think even though they will be paying you money, you will lose in the long run, whereas if you turn it down and by word of mouth people hear about it, it is going to drivw more people to check out your site.

I love your blog BTW. I actually just posted it on a thread at the mothering.com forum :o)