INVENTING BABY FOOD: GERBER AND THE DISCOURSE OF INFANCY IN THE UNITED STATES

By: Amy Bentley

We’ll Explore

Origins of breast milk to formula to solid food Timeline of formula to food change

Development of “Expert Knowledge” Early Marketing of the Gerber Products

Company

100 Years of change from 19th century to mid 20th century Industrialization Mass production Advertising of food supply Changing consumption patterns Discover and promotion of vitamins Evolving notions of body and health Science as ultimate authority Medication of childbirth and infancy Yielding the medical establishments

increased prominence and power

Origin: Biology

At age 4 months an infants gastrointestinal system can’t process anything but breast milk or the equivalent

Earlier than this can cause stress on the kidney function

Breast milk is considered the best option for infant ingestion because of the nutrients that assist in development

Early 19th Century

Pre-industrial west: 95% of children were breast fed by mothers or wet-nurses

Other 5% by dry-nursing or “pap/panada” mixture of boiled flour, water or animal milk

Mid 19th Century Invention of advice manuals, infants still on

breast milk mainly but a new integration of modified cows milk is introduced

Grandmother’s aphorism: “only milk until the eruption of molars (12-16 months)

Forbidden Fruit

Fruit/vegetables are discouraged from eating because of a folk tale idea that eating fruit made people, and children, feverish, and sick with severe diarrhea

The fruit/vegetables are removed completely from infant ingestion until 2-3 yrs of age

While mixtures known as “liquids” are emphasized: gruel mixtures, beef broth, liquids.

Meats and cereals suggested during 1st year

Late 19th Century: Chemical Period

New dependency on science as authoritative figure about health and human life cycle

Doctors birthing children in hospital vs. homes

Doctors increased power in formulas for infants: “Parent instincts and common sense take a backseat to science”

Medicalization makes mom’s worried about their ability to produce nutritious breast milk for their child

Expert Advice

Knowledge of vitamins Fruits and vegetable suddenly prized, and pushed to

be involved in infant diet Issue of wanting more fruit and vegetables in the

child’s diet but having to wait until 1 yr old 1928: Carlotta C. Greer, “Foods and Homemaking”

says that vitamins and vegetables are must have a prominent place in infancy feeding. Suggests an earlier introduction of solid foods to the diet. 1 tsp orange juice @ 3 weeks of age Cereals @ 5-6 months Vegetables @ 6 months Toast @ 7 months Egg Yolk @ 1 year

General Trend of Development A general trend of introducing solid

foods, and weaning them off of a formula or milk was becoming more and more pronounced toward the end of the 19th century

In the Cornell study in 1933, feeding practice of over 700 infants in upstate New York received an average of a late introduction to solids

In a couple of decades this average was much earlier

Gerber Makes its Move

1920’s: changed opinions about vitamins, promotion of fruit and canned goods, introduction to advertising

WELCOME GERBER!! Story of Gerber So successful the Gerbers changed their

old production line of vegetables to just baby food and renamed it from Fremont Canning Company to Gerber Products Company

Gerber Perfects its Method

First produces pureed foods (strained)

Then line of cereals Later, chopped produce

and dinner combinations for older toddlers

In 1930: produced 842,000 cans of baby food

In 1931: 1,311,500 cans In 1932: 2,259,818 cans Only one competitor

during this time frame: Clapps

1935 Gerber competes with Beech-Nut, Heinz, Libby’s but stays on top

Why Gerber did so Well

Canned foods were becoming cheaper, and parents could afford to buy them

Doctors and health officials were becoming more involved in children healthcare and advertising

Working moms found processed food to be easier to manage

Other inventions were being created to help women in the home: washing machines, refrigerators, diapers ect.

Advertising: Gerber Pushes Solids Earlier 1950’s women are bypassing nursing Age of artificial foods and propriety food items Same period as when Gerber comes out with

strained vegetable/fruit Before 1950’s 7 months was the age in which

infants should be introduced to vegetables/fruits, within next 10 yrs reduced to 4-6 months, by 1950 doctors were recommending 4-6 weeks

Gerber is now a substitute for breast milk

Advertising: Gerber Pushes Solids Earlier Through advertising,

Gerber pushes Americans to trust Gerber’s canning system

As Americans get used to advertising, Gerber introduces mass production, advertising of goods, memorable packaging and branding—this becomes the essential part of the package

Even the Gerber baby becomes an iconic symbol for how young a child should be to start eating solid foods

Gerber Gets On Board with Dieticians and Mothers

Late 1920s-1930s Gerber starts advertising in the Journal of the American Dietetics Associate (ADA)

Slogans 1929: Gerber advertises to directly to women,

allows Doctors to order products free of charge, and advertises to men about not having a wife who looks “worn and haggard” from having to be a slave to the kitchen or child

Conclusion Gerber came at the right time and place Doctors or mothers at fault? “More must be better”