Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Nestle's Unethical Business Practices...Genocide by formula feeding?

Please understand that I have MUCH research to do on this issue, and that I am not judging you for formula feeding if you chose to do so...I was forced to do so with my oldest b/c I didn't know many of the methods available to increase milk production, and my work would not work with me to allow me to pump as often as i needed, so my supply dried up. When i was formula feeding, until we switched to the Wamart "Gentle" formula, we used Nestle Goodstart Gentleease...it was the only formula we could fee my son without him having a difficult time digesting it...I am now sickened to learn the type of company I was supporting, and more over, I feel very foolish that I was oblivious to their business practices until now. But, I know now, and as a breastfeeding advocate, I feel compelled to share. Here is a great article http://tinyurl.com/ycx7vtg , and if you google Nestle Boycott, and/or Nestle Ethics you will get lots of info too...just remember to use discernment and your best judgement when reading internet info...and please join me in the effort to increase breastfeeding awareness and comfort by displaying breastfeeding imagery to increase comfort with public breastfeeding. I'll be posting some pics here, and some on my facebook as well. Also, please join me in boycotting Nestle in the future, for it to make a difference, it needs to be on a large scale so it will affect there profit margin, so if we want to make a difference, we need to join together. Feel free to leave comments, and links to any good info if you have it!

2 comments:

About Our Family said...

Hi,

This is the first time I've visited your blog and I'm looking forward to reading more (when the children are asleep!) I have 5 children and the oldest just turned 5 in June. The 5 and 4 year old are girls that we've adopted through foster care and the 3, 1 1/2, and 7 month old boys are biological children. I appreciate that you said, in this post, that you haven't done much research into the issue of formula, but I wanted to point out something you said about "choosing" formula and also about the methods to increase milk production. Obviously, since my first two children were adopted through foster care, I could not nurse them. (Yes, I know that some adoptive mothers have been successful at breastfeeding, and that's wonderful. However, even though we got the girls straight from the hospital as newborns, foster care laws do not allow foster mothers to nurse babies.) Second, I have been unable to nurse my three sons. I was born with something called Tubular breast syndrome. I have tried everything. I have taken natural herbs, pumped, taken prescription medication, changed my diet, etc... I have wept, and wept, and wept. I have cried out to the Lord, asking "why" and begging for Him to heal me and allow me to nurse. I just cannot tell you how I have grieved. I used to dream about being a wife, mom, and, specifically, nursing my babies. I don't know exactly why I wrote this- I guess I just wanted to share my story and remind you (and others who may read your post) that it's not always a choice. I always thought "Well, if she would try harder, or give it longer, or do this or that, then she could nurse." That's just not always true. I'm still praying. Begging the Lord to heal my breasts and allow me the precious gift of nursing our future children. But if He chooses not to do that, then I have to believe that He has a reason. And, thankfully, I have 5 beautiful children that are healthy and strong, despite the fact that they were formula fed. Thanks for putting up with my long response :). I hope you can understand my desire to share.

Kate McKinney
mckinneyfam@gmail.com

Mrs.Haggie810 said...

Thank you so much for visiting and commenting! First, I in no way meant to be offensive or judgemental, and I'm not sure if you saw it, but I posted this back in 2009...I was and still am growing a lot as a writer, and re-reading this I realize I should have put, if you chose to formula feed, or if you had to formula feed. I do realize that not all mother's choose to. My heart goes out to mother's who want to breast feed, and can't. I know you are an amazing person just from the little you've told me. I have a big heart for adopting from fostering, and hope that my husband and I might be able to do so someday also.

I do feel very sad for babies though that have mother's that do CHOOSE to bottle feed and never even try to breast feed for no other reason than that "it's inconvenient (which it's not.)" or "it's gross."

I know that formula fed infants are very healthy, and I am thankful we have formula because there are times it is essential. (Like when awesome mama's like you foster sweet little babes!) I am sad thought when mother's will not even attempt to when they are perfectly capable, especially when it is so good for baby and there are so many mama's who would love to, but can't. :)

I'm glad you stopped by, and I will have a new blog home soon, so please keep an eye out and visit me there! :)