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”