Will the baby-food empire strike back?
Sunday, October 01, 2006
BLW is such a 'new' phenomenon that it hasn't gathered many opponents yet, if you don't count the initial resistance from the narrow-minded.
However, there is always the certain someone who's going to lose out if mothers start doing it the natural way - the baby food industry. I'm not expecting the gospel of BLW to take on so quickly that the jar-makers would go out of business, but they have a very valid reason to come up with several reasons why BLW might be dangerous for your baby. At the same time they conveniently ignore the WHO's recommendations of 'postponing' weaning till 6 months - the earlier you start spooning it in, the better.
It's unlikely that the jar-makes are going to start bribing the health visitors to speak against BLW, at least on the same scale it happened with formula makers and GP's in the past, but unless some academic research is done soon the baby food brands are probably going to fund research of their own that will concentrate on the disadvantages of BLW. Then again, I might just be too cynical. Maybe times have changed and the baby food industry are going to adapt the 'McDonald's approach': if you can't beat them, join them. Expect to see lots of ready-made baby finger foods in your nearest (and largest) supermarket this time next year.
However, there is always the certain someone who's going to lose out if mothers start doing it the natural way - the baby food industry. I'm not expecting the gospel of BLW to take on so quickly that the jar-makers would go out of business, but they have a very valid reason to come up with several reasons why BLW might be dangerous for your baby. At the same time they conveniently ignore the WHO's recommendations of 'postponing' weaning till 6 months - the earlier you start spooning it in, the better.
It's unlikely that the jar-makes are going to start bribing the health visitors to speak against BLW, at least on the same scale it happened with formula makers and GP's in the past, but unless some academic research is done soon the baby food brands are probably going to fund research of their own that will concentrate on the disadvantages of BLW. Then again, I might just be too cynical. Maybe times have changed and the baby food industry are going to adapt the 'McDonald's approach': if you can't beat them, join them. Expect to see lots of ready-made baby finger foods in your nearest (and largest) supermarket this time next year.
