Inventing Baby Food: Gerber and The Discourse of Infancy in the United States By: Amy Bentley

100 Years of change from 19th to mid-20th century Industrialization & new technologies Discovery of vitamins in 1906 Evolving notions of the body and health Changing consumption patterns Emergence of science as the authority Medicalization of childcare Advertising

Baby Biology At age 4 months an infant’s gastrointestinal system can’t process anything but breast milk or its equivalent Earlier than this can cause stress on the baby’s kidney function Breast milk is considered the best option for infants 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 5% received a mixture of boiled flour, water, or animal milk Mid-19th Century first advice manuals Most infants were still on breast milk but a new integration of modified cow’s milk was introduced Grandmother’s aphorism: “only milk until the eruption of molars (12-16 months)

Forbidden Fruit Fruit/vegetables were discouraged because of folk ideas that eating fruit made children and adults feverish and caused severe diarrhea Infants were restricted from eating fruit/vegetables until 2-3 years of age Although liquid mixtures such as cereals, gruel and beef broth could be given during the 1st year

Late 19th Century: Chemical Period There was a new dependency on science as an authority on human health Vs. common sense Doctors began birthing children in hospitals vs. at home Medicalization of health care discovery of vitamins Diets improved

Industrialization Canned goods became available Mass-produced foods were added to milk or water This was a forerunner of infant formula Mom’s became worried about their ability to produce nutritious breast milk Doctors increased the strength of formulas for infants Breast feeding declined

Expert Advice 1900-30: Discovery that fruits & vegetables also have vitamins 1928: Manuals & “Foods and Homemaking” recommended earlier introduction of solid foods: 1 tsp orange juice @ 3 weeks of age Cereals @ 7 months Fruit @ 8 Vegetables @ 9 months Egg Yolk @ 10 months Meat 1 year

Advertising “Nestle’s Milk Food: Baby’s Friend” Other companies: “The Incomparable Food for the Growth and Protection of Infants and Children” “A Scientific Food for Infants and Invalids” “Children fed on our infant food are remarkable for muscular strength, firmness of flesh, and a lively and intelligent appearance” “The perfect substitute for Mother’s Milk”

Gerber Makes its Move Grew not out of corporate search for new products, but a mother’s complaint Mrs. Dan Gerber complained to her husband—owner of Freemont Canning Company—of the difficulty of mashing peas for their baby The company changed from canning vegetables to specialization in baby food Gerber became a right of passage for babies

Gerber Perfects its Method First produced pureed foods (strained) Then a line of cereals Later, chopped produce for older toddlers In 1930: produced 842,000 cans of baby food In 1931: 1,311,500 cans In 1932: 2,259,818 cans 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’s 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.

Gerbers symbolizes Trustworthiness & Quality 1930s advertising of Gerbers for: Purity and wholesomeness Convenience and modernity Scientific efficiency Even the Gerber baby becomes an iconic symbol for the age a child should be to start eating solid foods By the 1950s there was a dramatic decline in breast feeding Gerber substitutes for breast milk

Gerber Convinces Dieticians Gerber began advertising in the Journal of the American Dietetics Associate (ADA) Gerber baby foods are scientifically prepared Free of contaminants Are vitamin-filled Have high nutritional value Are wholesome for infants

The baby in the photo is Ann Turner Cook The baby in the photo is Ann Turner Cook. She is 87 years old (2014) and is an English professor and writes books. In 1928 her face was drawn in carbon by Dorothy Hope Smith.

Convincing Mothers (Ladies Home Journal) “The new Gerber Products make Mother and Baby alike independent of the kitchen’s restrictions. Baby can really travel now.” “Square Meals for Baby…and better for him than vegetables you could prepare yourself with ten times the work!” And husbands: about not having a wife who looks “worn and haggard” from having to be a slave to the kitchen for her child