The Indiana Perinatal Network has made it a goal that all hospitals in Indiana will discontinue the practice of giving out free infant formula discharge packs by the end of 2013.  The Evansville Birthnetwork joins with the Indiana Perinatal Network and La Leche League of Southwestern Indiana in asking The Women's Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital for Women and Children to stop providing formula packs to new families.  Giving formula samples to new mothers lowers breastfeeding rates. Providing these formula discharge packs is a way for formula companies to promote their products to new families. It is unethical for hospitals to participate in this marketing of infant formula. Promoting formula in this way is in violation of the World Health Organization Code of Marketing Breast-milk Substitutes.

When mothers receive formula samples from their hospital, it sends the message that formula is a good alternative to breastfeeding. Several studies have shown that when mothers receive these formula discharge packs, they breastfeed for a shorter length of time. Breastfeeding has been shown to be nutritionally superior to formula feeding. It provides health benefits to both mothers and babies when compared to formula feeding. Hospitals that provide formula discharge packs make it harder for mothers to succeed with breastfeeding, which in turn hurts the health of mothers and babies.