We need to get a rep from the Advertising Standards Agency on here...see re their ruling on Boots nipple cream ad

[hunkermunker]

"In its ruling, the ASA said breast-feeding mothers were likely to be "reasonably well informed" about the causes of sore nipples through antenatal classes and literature."

Ill-informed fucking idiots.

[hunkermunker]

Ahem, the ASA, not breastfeeding mothers, obv.

[hunkermunker]

(.)(.)

[Poohbah]

Hunker...what do you expect??? The ASA to take this kind of thing seriously?? It's a conspiracy you know....to get everyone bottle feeding!!!

[hunkermunker]

It's just maddening how your average wo/man in the street had NO idea how fucking useless bf support often is in this country and doesn't give a shite either - until it happens to them, or someone they care about.

[morocco]

that is really crap, poor ruling by the asa, what were they thinking of??
(i got an ad banned once by the asa btw,not that you actually asked[ever so slightly boastful] oooh, power mad moment, but it was for stretch mark cream, I am allllll powerful )

[TheOldestCat]

I bought nipple cream before seeking professional advice because I was in agony (it turned out to be thrush and poor latch, which we got sorted in a few days). So I have lots of tubes of the stuff lying around. It's very good for moisturising dry skin, I've found!

Seriously though, do agree with you Hunker. Sigh.

[speak2deb]

It's actually really good for dry, racked heels. Sorts them out in no time.

[speak2deb]

'cracked heels' not 'RACKED heels'. My keyboard is fecked.

[SoupDragon]

Completely unrelated to this thread but (whilst I wait for the ASA link to load) can you point me in the direction of the law regarding reducing the price of infant formula? I want to write to/enlighten the manager of my local Waitrose as I'm bored with pointing it out to assorted individual members of staff.

[hunkermunker]

Hang on, SD - will find.

[hunkermunker]

" 20. No manufacturer or distributor of any infant formula shall provide for promotional purposes any infant formula free or at a reduced or discounted price, or any gift designed to promote the sale of an infant formula, to?
(a) the general public;
(b) pregnant women;
(c) mothers; or
(d) members of the families of persons mentioned in sub-paragraphs (b) and (c) above,
either directly, or indirectly through the health care system or health workers."

From this thread

Found this though - hurrah

[Snaf]

Soupy - I am beginning to despair of that branch re: promotion of formula. I've pointed it out to members of staff more than once and called Head Office but nothing changes.

[oilandwater]

I honestly don't understand what the issue is here. Can someone explain? Is it that people think that there is no need for nipple cream (i never had dried/cracked/sore nipples so i don't know how useful it is or isn't)? Is it that the ad "publicises" that a woman could have dried/cracked/sore nipples when breastfeeding? Or is it something else? I read the link in the OP but I don't know if that article addressed all the issues - I feel like I missing something here.

[hunkermunker]

"Complainants said the ads were misleading because they implied that sore nipples were normal when breastfeeding, whereas in fact it was usually due to incorrect feeding techniques.

The complainants added that the ad was misleading because Boots positioned its cream as the only product that could alleviate the problem of sore nipples.

They also argued that the ads were irresponsible, because they might discourage new mothers from seeking professional guidance about correct feeding, and offensive because they presented an "unfair and negative image of breastfeeding"."

This sums it up pretty well - taken from the article. Sore nipples can be alleviated by nipple cream, but unless what's making them sore is addressed (ie poor latch), nipple cream isn't a long-term solution.

And this bit:

"In its ruling, the ASA said breast-feeding mothers were likely to be "reasonably well informed" about the causes of sore nipples through antenatal classes and literature."

Not true, in many, many cases - a quick squiz at the feeding boards on here will tell you how ill-informed many, many women are about bf and bf problems.

[sherby]

That advert is truly shit and it sounds like the ASA are crappola.

Re the pricing of formula, my local Tesco had a couple of dented tins in the reduced price section the other day. I went to the customer service place and told them that if I were them I would get rid of them before somebody informed trading standards, she didn't give a toss tbh.

[fishie]

my mum bought me some boots nipple cream (it was reduced because nobody wanted it). it is useless for nipples but jolly good for keeping hair dye off ears.

hunker do you think the 19 complaints were all one offs, no organised campaign? i do respond to all the babymilkaction email alerts but wonder whether the standardised format is entirely helpful. i did get a reply from my mp and the chief exec at hospital re baby friendly, but since one of them can't do anything and the other has since left that is not much use.

[fishie]

oh i do put in my own rant as well as the standard.

[oilandwater]

ok. thanks. i guess i'd have to see the original ad -- maybe the article makes it seem more innocuous than it was.

[FAQ]

surely ALL advertisers (for any product) make it "appear" that their product is the only product on the market that can do what theirs can do???

[hunkermunker]

I think that's not the main problem, FAQ.

I see the main issue with this as being that it portrays a negative image of bf and says that for the problem of sore nipples, nipple cream is the answer. Which isn't the full story. Yes, they've products to sell, but I see products around bf as different from a new orange squash or type of biscuit or whatever.

[FAQ]

but sore nipples IS a common problem isn't it??? (judging from number of threads on here about it) - and even if they do get proper professional advice to sort out the problem (if there is one! - I had horrible cracked nipples with DS1 and there was nothing wrong with the latch etc at all) they're still going to want the nipple cream to help it heal......

You see I come from the other direction - all I was told at my (very pro-bf) antenatal classes was how "wonderful, natural, easy etc etc etc" BFing would be.........they omitted to tell us about the common problems which many women encounter (even those that have access and knowledge of the professionals to help sort it out).

Just out of interest does the leaflet that comes inside the cream give any details on how to get help with BFing??

[Pannacotta]

I know this is going off thread a bit, but I keep seeing that awful SMA ad on TV which I really want to complain about, just wondering if anyone else has contacted the ASA about it and had any joy?
Any tios morocco?

[hunkermunker]

Think the SMA ad has been ruled OK

FAQ, yes, sore nipples common. Don't know re the leaflet - do know that Boots nipple cream is f all use - it's shite.

Your experience backs me up when I take issue with them saying that women are well-informed antenatally about the causes of sore nipples.

[Pannacotta]

Am amazed the SMA ad got the all clear!

I have luckily never suffered with sore nipples, but have to say it was never mentioned in antenatal classes or by my MW, in fact I was given sweet FA info on breastfeeding before giving birth.

Most things I know now about breastfeeding are picked up from MN and Kellymom, as well as the reading I have done (plus 3 years worth of b-feeding experience of course....)

[FAQ]

oh I was told that if it hurt/got sore nipples it would be because the latch was wrong.....never told that for some people sore nipples JUST HAPPEN