So most baby food companies now list this as their stages: “Stage 1 start about a month before Stage 2″, “Stage 2, start about a month before stage 3″, “Stage 3, start at around 6 months” or similar. Sometimes there is only one stage before the “start at 6 months”. Apparently that is “ok” because no where does it explicitly say to start before 6 months.

You can view the Heinz one here (yes this is their Canadian site):
http://www.heinzbaby.com/en_ca/triple_tested_products/cereal/1/

I’m really sick of no one bothering to enforce the law. Which is why I don’t really care if they ban formula marketing for babies under 6 months -it won’t make any difference. In the UK where the law is enforced I have recently viewed ads in magazines imported from there that are clearly from formula companies but do not mention that anywhere; all they talk about is their “free monthly parenting magazine” or “gift basket” or whatever. And since they have to get your permission before showing you information on formula I am sure there is some fine print, or maybe a check box -but people pay no attention. Then they get the ads, coupons, etc delivered straight to their house.

Society needs to change, not the law. The law can only go so far ahead of social change, and often lags behind. I wish that the Prime Minister could waive his magic wand and make formula a prescription item that is carried not just behind the counter but must be kept under it so you can’t view the brand names and it must carry a black box warning on it. I wish he could make milk banking available every single place there are blood banks. But its just not possible.