Unscrupulous

I am currently pumping milk once a day for donation for a sick adopted baby girl. I was nearly out of breastmilk freezer bags, so when I was at the grocery store yesterday, I picked some up. The grocery store is a large chain store, with one of those coupon machines that spit out coupons for you when you check out based upon what you purchased.

Imagine my surprise when I glanced at the coupons the cashier handed me, and one was for infant formula. Great, I thought. I suppose it must have been because they can tell I have a baby, since I was buying breastmilk freezer bags.

When I looked closer at the coupon, though, I couldn't suppress a disgusted laugh at what was written upon the coupon. It has a picture of a cute baby along with a picture of the formula which they were advertising (which I will not name, so as to not give them free advertising). The words read:

"Thinking of supplementing your breastfed baby? Consider X brand, our closest formula to breastmilk. Clinically proven to benefit infants in all three areas: growth, brain and eye, and immune system development."

So, not only were they targeting me because I had purchased a baby item, but they were banking on me, as a breastfeeding mother. You know, because I might not have enough milk, or maybe I don't like nursing in public or want to have a break from the task of nursing my beautiful boy..... right. And, you know, it is pretty close to breastmilk....its almost the same thing! Right???

Oh, it all just makes my blood boil.

It really makes me feel ill. I don't know how those who work in marketing for the formula industry sleep at night.