This is a companion piece to Calandra’s post today on mortarnbrique.

Over the weekend I read an article on TimeHealthland that left me a little perturbed.  The article, titled Can a Formula Company Really Promote Breast-Feeding and Fight Child Obesity?, discussed the criticisms that Newark Mayor Cory Booker has recieved in his decision to accept funding from Nestle Corporation of his Let’s Move Newark! initiative.  Nestle provided a $100,000 grant to support the education of families on nutrition and physical activity.  The issue at hand is that breastfeeding advocates feel (a) it’s inapropriate for a childhood obesity prevention initiative to partner with a formula company and (b) Nestle has some hidden agenda to promote formula over breastfeeding when it’s a proven fact that breastfeeding reduces the risk for childhood obesity.  Mayor Booker responded through his regular radio program that there are no strings attached to this funding.

This could easily be compared to the skepticism that occurred when tobacco manufacturers started providing information through their websites (and lots of grant dollars) on smoking prevention.  Isn’t there a conflict of interest in both cases?

Personally, in this particular case, I don’t think so.  Smoking isn’t a necessity, but eating is.  In her post, Calandra describes her decision to formula-feed her children.  Well here’s mine: After the first 2 nights of trying with minimal success latching on (and incredibly painful boobs) I had to feed my baby something, and it was formula.  For the next 5 months it was the same–repeated attempts with maybe a third of them being successful and lots of supplemental formula feeding.  My child had to eat, so after my boobs gave up she became a formula baby.  I was frustrated and guilt-ridden but after much family support I moved forward.  If I’m blessed to have another child I’ll definitely try again but if again we’re unsuccessful then Similac it will be!

A couple of weeks ago I read a heartbreaking blog post about a woman who was very guilty about her inability to breastfeed after TWO breast infections.  Her health was being threatened yet lactation consultants were urging continued breastfeeding.  In the end she was frustrated that they didn’t even mention formula options and advise this as an alternative. 

Nestle knows that children have to eat, and through this grant they’re supporting the healthy eating option–breastfeeding.   Will Nestle hand out formula coupons with their breastfeeding information? Possibly.  But I wouldn’t go so far to say that they’re in conflict with advising breastfeeding.  They make so much money from the women who don’t choose to breastfeed that I don’t think promoting breastfeeding will cause a big dent in their revenue budget.