I hope cross posting is not offensive. here goes:
I am sending this off to trading standards:
To whom it may concern:
At the moment, Milupa is currently operating a website which is aimed at breastfeeding mothers. I raise my concerns with Trading Standards for several reasons. My primary reason is that I fear that it contravenes the International Code (1) which bans advertising formula to pregnant women or women with babies under 6 months. However, in my laywoman?s estimation I believe that the following articles of the International are also being breached by Milupa: 4.2 , 5.1, 5.2, 6.4 .
Milupa in my estimation has been very clever in disguising their infomercial website as a place where mums can meet, learn and discuss issues related to motherhood. Undoubtedly, one of the main topics for mums and mum-to-be will be feeding. Milupa has therefore provided a ?breastfeeding helpline? for concerned mums to ring.
Milupa knows fully well that 46% of UK mothers are no longer breastfeeding within six weeks of giving birth and it is down to 22% by six months. (2) They are therefore using this infomercial website to connect with those mothers who when they contact a helpline will be fraught with anxieties and very much accepting to the suggestion of a ?professional?.
It has been the experience of one mum who rang to find that the advisor who claimed to be a midwife vigorously pushed topping up her baby with formula. (3)
From my own experience, when I had a breastfeeding crisis at 3 weeks, I was pushed to top up with formula by my health visitor. I got a second opinion from an NCT counsellor who reassured and advised me on how to progress. Had I rang this helpline for a second opinion, I would have accepted the advice of their ?midwife? advisor instead as I was lonely, desperate, scared and under informed about breastfeeding at that time. Now that I understand how breastfeeding works, I estimate that within days I would have been totally formula feeding, much against my own wishes and abilities. I am currently still exclusively breastfeeding my 18 week only baby. (4)
There is a debate currently raging on Mumsnet.com, one of the UK?s best known motherhood websites, over this infomercial website. I am providing the links to the threads where many other valid concerns are raised which my letter has not touched.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1364&threadid=98457&stamp=050824090936
www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1364&threadid=101169&stamp=050823231310
www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1374&threadid=101173&stamp=050824183048
www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1374&threadid=101327#scaddmsg
footnotes:
(1) www.babymilkaction.org/regs/fullcode.html
(2) www.show.scot.nhs.uk/breastfeed/stats.htm
(3)
By icklelulu on Tuesday, 16 August, 2005 4:53:26 PM
I have just got thru!They didnt mention formula for a few mins and I was thinking 'hmmm wots going on'! THEN 'maybe you should compliment your baby' that was it she kept metioning it after that! I said I was very determined to exculsively breastfeed even if I was finding it hard only using one boob(BTW I used the abscess story, it was true so I couldnt really go wrong). I asked if she was quilified and she used to work as a midwife. Suggested the usual things to try to make my only usable boob comfortable. Lasinoh, leaving milk to dry on the nipple etc She said it wouldnt be the end of the world if I did have to compliment my DS with a formula feed. I must say though I was quite surprised, I thought they would have unqualified persons on the phone and that they would tell me to just give up breastfeeding but saying that once formula was mentioned it kept cropping up ALOT! I thought she might stop mentioning formula as I was emphasising the fact that breast is best and thats wot I intended my DS to have.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1364&threadid=75972#1669173