General Chat

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There is a report out today suggesting that Baby Milk ads be banned? A coalition of charities is demanding baby milk be treated like tobacco and subjected to a total advertising ban. The National Childbirth Trust, Save The Children and Unicef blame adverts for many mothers abandoning breast feeding before the recommended six months. At present, companies are not allowed to advertise formula milk for babies under six months. But they are allowed to promote so-called follow-on milks, a range for children aged between six months and two years. Many mothers feel an immense sense of guilt and failure when they move on to the bottle, and this latest debate about advertising is likely to make them feel even worse The charities accuse baby milk companies of using their follow-on milks to promote their products for younger infants by giving them the same name and logo so as to make them 'virtually indistinguishable' to parents. 'Sense of guilt' The World Health Organization recommends that babies are given breast milk exclusively for the first six months, and that a mother should continue to breastfeed up to the age of two years. The charities note that those children who are breastfed are better protected from infections and potentially from even more serious conditions later on in life. Formula milk companies are finding ways to exploit ambiguity in the law and to continue aggressively marketing their products to parents At present, some 76% of UK mothers start out breastfeeding - up 7% from 2000. However most move on to formula within weeks, and fewer than half still breastfeed by the time their child is six weeks old. By six months, only 25% of mothers are breastfeeding at all. In a study of mothers commissioned by The Infant and Dietetic Foods Association (IDFA), Dr Lee found that the decision to bottle feed was a 'pragmatic decision based on personal circumstances'. 'Some do it because of the pain of feeding or so they can feed their child at more regular intervals, some so they can share responsibility for feeding the baby, others because they are thinking of going back to work. 'Many mothers feel an immense sense of guilt and failure when they move on to the bottle, and this latest debate about advertising is likely to make them feel even worse.' The charities involved in the report want the FSA to agree to a ban, noting that the new European recommendations in particular stress that information on formula 'should not counter the promotion of breast feeding'. It is unclear whether a ban is likely, but it is thought that companies will no longer be able to make claims about similarity to breast milk on their packets under new restrictions. A number of companies have slogans such as 'even closer to breast milk', 'the closest to breast milk' on their packaging, pointing to the fatty acids and probiotic bacteria found in breast milk that are included in the ingredients. catherine xx

This subject sparked a riot on the netmums site!! I think treating baby milk as tho its as lethal as tobacco is ridiculous!! Not everyone can breastfeed, for different reasons.

I breastfed my 2 but not everyone feels able to.Its cheaper and quicker.difficult now with so many mums returning to work earlier.loved the closeness with mine when they were babies.As long as you're discreet theres no need for anyone to be embarassed either

Breast is best, so they say!

omg why cant they let mums choose, im all for what ever you feel comfortable with, i bottle fed, daughter wasnt going to but at last minute did, its up to mum i think

Hi Catherine. Clearly breast is best, to coin a phrase, but I was watching and article on BBC breakfast this morning about this very subject. The lady on there, who was actually pro breast, was saying that so many new mothers are instructed very prescriptively on how to sit when breast feeding their babies. Usuall, feet firmly on the floor, sitting upright with pillows under the arm to help take the weight. Many mothers then fail to continue to breast feed their babies, because a, it makes them too tired, and b, it is too uncomfortable, and baby does not 'latch on' too well. It is now believed that getting mum comfy first and finding the best position also means less tiredness and less discomfort, and the baby latches on easily. I can relate to this, I breast fed my son using those original instructions, for only three weeks, he never seemed to be taking the feed very well, constantly hungry, and I was so tired. I put him on the bottle and he thrived, which didn't make me feel better really lol The midwives in those days were hard faced women who you dared not disobey lol It put me off breast feeding my daughter, I chose to put her straight on the bottle from birth. I really don't think anyone should be made to feel guilty or that they are giving their child a second rate upbringing because they choose, or perhaps had no choice, to bottle feed their baby.

I agree breast is best. Not all woman can do it for various reasons, but if they can, it's a good thing. It's something you have to work on at the begining and I think some give up too easy. I also agree with breast feeding in public long as you are not making it that obvious. Marion

Fed three out of four of mine. But *bann the baby milk?* that would be so rediculous. Many mothers would love to breast feed but of one reason or another, they can't. Making her feel quilty is not a good move. The daughter of a friend of mine was very upset when she could not feed her baby... through no fault of her own. She was just too ill for about three weeks after the birth. Saw him yesterday... don't know what she feeds him, but I think it's Chops, and steak..... :-0) He looks so lovely. Deanna X

give a Breast any day give me 2 lol

Scouse Boy cork it catherine xx Although I forgot you have got man boobs sorry!!!!!!!!!!

Not having children I can't really comment, except to say that I would have starved. My mother was unable to feed either my sister or myself, she was an older mother. We are a farming background so breast is best would have been the option. My sister also couldn't produce enough for hers, although she did feed them, they needed supplementing. My sisters step daughter in law had a condition after she had her twins, that meant to have it successfully treated she wouldn't be able to breast feed. You can't ban infant formula, it is there for a reason, but it shouldn't be promoted over breast feeding. Rosalind

am just keeping abreast of things

bittty. but mine were bottle fed me udders didnt work after sections david prefered chianti and nat liked white lightning x

I breast fed for longer than average (lol!) but when i first tried it was a disaster, I only got the hang of it when i was back home and left to do it in the way that suited me, which was the total opposite of the midwife's advice! I used to do it lying on the bed (NO Keith! no comments pleaseLOL!) . Don't know if it helped but son never had colic or any problems . Think that is possibly why mum's get discouraged in the first few days of feeding.......... rosex

A friend of mine really wanted to breast feed her baby but the baby wasn't able to get enough milk so, very upset, she started to bottle feed her. She was then told by a breast feeding counsellor that she obviously didn't love her baby very much if she wasn't breast feeding her! What an attitude from a 'caring prefessional'. Whilst I agree with 'breast is best' mothers who are unable to feed their babies, or for whatever reason choose not to should not be made to feel like 2nd class mothers. Kate

used to do it lying on the bed i bet you did

Yes Mr Keith and look where THAT got me LOL !

What about pumping? I think that is a very overlooked option that would work for many. Rose

Teresa, I was also 'instructed' to do it the way you described with my first, 27 years ago(side of bed, back straight, pillows etc) which I found almost impossible as my boobs were too small and I ended up with terrible back ache. When they weren't looking, I pulled the curtains round and lay on the bed like Rose. When I got home, I used to recline on the sofa, book in hand and have a good read :o) In the end I breast fed my two for 22 months each, and my daughter (who wasn't 'instructed' the way I was) fed her little one for 24 months. Expressing milk to bottle feed the baby is a good idea - if they will take a bottle. Mine would only ever take water from a bottle, they seemed to associate breast milk with the breast and a different way of suckling. I think many working mothers give up fairly soon because they have to get the baby used to the bottle for when they go back to work. Banning the advertising of formula milk for small babies has led to some mothers feeding their very young babies 'follow on' formula, as they are unaware of the difference and what's available. Makes you think these people sit in ivory towers declaring what we 'others' should do, like we're a different species. It's very simplistic to believe that if you don't advertise, people won't be 'tempted' to use the bottle, but if you don't advertise, people will use what they can. It's peoples lives they're affecting. Mothers should have a choice and be aware of what is available. We're not quite a dictatorship yet!!! maggie