I just filled out a survey from The Research Institute of Mother & Child Care. I decided to make sure it was legitimate before I sent out my personal information. After googling it, I found that many websites are furious about it being a scam. The Research Institute of Mother & Child Care is a division of Abbott Laboratories, a pharmaceutical company that makes Similac and Isomil. If you do more research you find that they use the findings from these surveys for actual research. Their research is cited in academic papers, the CDC, and even on kellymom. Other research companies have even cited it as a source at the end of their articles.
I’m sure that part of it is to see how many people actually purchase their formula and I do think it’s dirty to pose as a research institute instead of just being honest and saying that they are a division of Abbott Laboratories. However, I found that a lot of the moms out there who are angry are angry for the wrong reasons. Here are some of the comments I found: “I at least let them know that there was a happily breastfed baby in this house who didn’t want any “baby junk food” (as my DD calls it).” ”I think I filled out one of these with accurate responses a few months ago. This time, though, I just tore it in half, wrote them a little note about the inferiority of formula, and sent it all back in their postage-paid envelope. I worry that by providing accurate answers, I’ll be helping them figure out how to market formula better.” ”As a breast-feeding mother and advocate, I do not want to help the formula industry in any way.” ”It’s practically child abuse not to breastfeed.”
Now I took a breastfeeding class prior to giving birth and I know all about the benefits. That’s precisely why I tried as hard as I possibly could to breastfeed. I had a lactation consultant come out to my house at least three times and I went into the hospital and saw lactation consultants and nurses there several times. I was in an incredible amount of pain and I sobbed through every feeding. I also had to deal with Mireya biting me and I had multiple infections I was fighting at the time. I was told from the lactation consultants that I was doing everything right, but that Mireya just wasn’t getting the hang of it. I had to make the decision to not breastfeed for my own physical and mental health. Besides, Mireya cried through every feeding too, because she couldn’t figure out how to latch on. I even pumped for an additional 6 1/2 weeks, so that she would get at least some breastmilk, but I had to quit doing that as well.
Apparently many of the exclusively breastfeeding moms out there think that formula companies shouldn’t exist and that those of us who don’t breastfeed are doing something horrible to our babies. Excuse me!? If there wasn’t formula out there, what would I feed my baby? I want them to improve it, so that my child gets the best nutrition possible.
I felt guilty over not being able to breastfeed for weeks. I still feel bad sometimes and the moms out there with this god complex don’t help. Just because you are breastfeeding, that doesn’t make you any better than me or the thousands of other moms who don’t. Breastfeeding is the best option, but it’s not the only one and thank goodness!
