[littlethings]

I found this while browsing today. If you are pregnant and delivering soon, this could be for you.

Nestle GoodStart, Start Healthy, Stay Healthy FREE Backpack when you deliver at a participating hospital!!

You must bring this certificate with you when you deliver:
Start Healthy, Stay Healthy FREE Backpack when you deliver at a participating hosptial!!

As if you don't have enough to remember to bring with you when you are in labor.... LOL. I would suggest printing this now and sticking it in your hospital bag. =)

I hope someone can use this!! =)

[Yoopersnowflake]

Thanks! Our hospital didn't participate. We've used Good Start for our past 5 babies and now are having trouble finding it locally.

[lexia]

I don't know if you are aware of something called Baby Friendly initiative that hospitals are trying to get accreditation. It is a breastfeeding accreditation which means hospitals not longer give away products that support formula companies. Hospitals used to get formula from formula companies and now they have to buy it in order to show support to breastfeeding . I showed the coupon and was told they did not have the backpacks available. The larger hospitals in Fort Worth are trying to get the accreditation. I want to know how to get the backpack even though my baby is breastfed. There don't seem to be as many perks for breastfeeding mothers. Is it possible to get a backpack anyway? Sincerely Lex

[baybeenurse]

at my hospital, we don't carry carnation good start (even though it is our state wic formula given), but we do give every mom a backpack, either from similac or enfamil..we are not part of the initiative, although we support breastfeeding greatly, but because we still see about a 50/50 bottle and breastfeeding ratio of moms..we have tried, but it just isn't fair to force breastfeeding on everyone when they don't have the heart or commitment for it, ya know..i always tell my moms that i respect their decision either way and at the end of the day all i care about is that the baby is eating ..i know it is different everywhere, just thought i would put my 2 cents in from florida.

[vegan.mom]

Lexia, I find that to be quite breastfeeding. While I would never shove my beliefs down somebody's throat, I think formula should only be used in adoption, or if the mother and/or baby is too ill to breastfeed and it would only make things worse. A friend of mine and I were recently talking about how much it seems that formula is being pushed on parents. When I got my goody bag at my first pre-natal visit last week (I'm 12 weeks), I got a Simalac case (which would actually make a nice travel case for my toiletries, especially this summer when we will be gone for our annual week-long Lake Erie trip) with two little bottles of pre-made formula and an Enfamil box with two little bottles of pre-made formula. At least the Enfamil box came with a breastfeeding information book (it's a condensed first six chapters of an "real" book) and bottles for breast pumps. It's like they are saying, "Yes, we know breast is best. However, when you find it "difficult", here is an easy way out." Eh. I definitely used the freebies in my last diaper bag. (I got one of those razors with the shave gel around it and I'm saving it for when we are at Lake Erie and we only have a small shower, like we will this summer. I'm six feet tall, so shaving in a shower stall is not easy.)

I certainly understand the partiality that the hospitals want to take on baby feeding. It's actually kinda fair considering if they go one way, it just seems to be pushing.

If my hospital gives me one, I will not turn it down. I was raised to accept freebies.

Lexi, perhaps try to contact Nestle or Simlac and see if you can still get a bag sent to you.