Survey of Pediatricians Finds “New Mom Questions” Range from the Serious (How Often Should My Baby Eat?) to the Surreal (Is it Okay to Take My Newborn Kite Surfing?)

Nearly All Pediatricians Report Infant Feeding as a Top Category of Questions

VERMONT, November 13, 2014—New parents often have an endless list of questions about caring for their little ones, and the pediatrician serves as a go-to resource for everything from nutritional needs to serving as a sounding board for surreal questions (Is it Okay to Take My Newborn Kite Surfing?), according to a new survey. Perrigo Nutritionals, makers of Store Brand Formula, today released findings from its nationwide “Pulse of Pediatricians” survey*—conducted by SERMO, the largest online network exclusively for physicians—and found that pediatricians rank feeding (52 percent), pooping (43 percent), and sleeping (41 percent) as the top three categories of concern for new parents. In fact, 97 percent of pediatricians say questions around feeding falls in the top three for their patients.

An overwhelming majority of pediatricians (71 percent) say all baby formulas, as regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are the same, including Store Brand Formulas, which cost a fraction of the higher priced brands. Although 66 percent of pediatricians admit “What formula do you recommend?” is one of their top feeding questions, and 59 percent of pediatricians distribute infant formula samples in their offices, the majority say they’re not recommending that brand specifically and are simply giving samples to moms because they have them to give away.

The survey of 251 pediatricians revealed other questions that come up during their discussions with new moms, ranging from the tried and true (“How do I know if my baby is getting enough food?”) to a little more off the beaten path (“Can my baby be addicted to my breast milk?”).

“Patients often come to me with questions regarding feeding and the best formula in terms of nutrition,” said Dr. Lisa Thornton, Board Certified pediatrician and child expert. “I always assure moms and dads alike that they can’t make a bad choice; breast feeding is ideal, but if they choose to formula feed, the nutrition is comparable across all the advertised brands and store brands. For this reason, I encourage them to try Store Brand Infant Formulas and save their money. Every penny matters when you have a new baby.”

Walmart’s Parent’s Choice Formula and other Store Brand Infant Formulas sold at Sam's Club, Target, Kroger, Babies R' Us, and other leading retailers in United States, are nutritionally comparable to advertised brands. Store brands meet the same FDA standards and can cost up to 50 percent less than the national brands. In truth, tore Brand Infant Formulas can save mom up to $600 annually.*

While pediatricians answer serious inquiries about feeding from new parents, more than a quarter (26 percent) of pediatricians report being asked some outlandish questions on the topic. Some of the more offbeat questions pediatricians have answered include:

• When can I feed my baby fast-food?
• Can I give my baby soda in a bottle?
• Is my baby afraid of the dark?
• Does the moon phase affect my breast milk?
• Is it okay for the newborn baby to go kite surfing on my back?
• Can my newborn go scuba diving?