Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Antibreastfeeding?

585 replies

Redebs · 03/02/2023 08:33

Having just browsed some of the 'Help articles' on here, I'm shocked at how Mumsnet is discouraging breastfeeding.

There's one on how normal it is to wean off the breast at two months because of all the 'problems you will have'.

There's one on 'combi feeding', which is about giving formula feeds to breastfed babies - the surest way to reduce your milk supply in reality.

There's another one about packing dummies and bottles in your hospital labour bag. This is definitely going to interfere with newborns getting colostrum and learning to latch. If a baby needs anything, the hospital will provide it in reality.

I know some women choose to formula feed, but these are insidious, supposedly helpful, undermining tactics aimed at new mothers trying to breastfeed. Most of these are sponsored by the baby bottle manufacturer MAM.

If formula companies were promoting this, they would be, rightly, in contravention of advertising rules.

All medical and scientific advice is to give exclusively breastmilk for the first six months and to continue to at least twelve months or longer.

OP posts:
HiImTheProblemItsMe · 03/02/2023 13:09

I'm another who found breastfeeding incredibly easy and enjoys it. My third is now 1yo and this is when the tables really turn - forget 'breast is best', it's just fully 'don't you think you should stop now?' and barely concealed disgust. There's a lot of shaming of bf mums and MN is rife with misnformation and scaremongering. Anyone who wants real, proper advice on breastfeeding is best advised to look elsewhere imho.

GreaterStickle · 03/02/2023 13:11

Parker231 · 03/02/2023 12:35

Totally inappropriate comment - some of us wanted to use formula. It’s a choice not an order as to how you feed
Formula is amazing!

Show quote history

Yes it’s a choice.

No, formula is not amazing. It is a substitute, and a poor one at that. It should be used out of necessity only.

Mitfordian · 03/02/2023 13:12

@LittleLegoWoman great, thanks for confirming you breastfed out of personal choice rather than a deep knowledge of the research. If only others could do the same.

I'm sorry you had so many people who wanted you to stop breastfeeding. Out of interest, why do you feel it was a massive achievement if it was entirely self-motivated and something you wanted to do?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Babies & sleep Breast & bottle feeding Families
Mitfordian · 03/02/2023 13:14

@GreaterStickle can you explain that? I asked if anyone would tell me their thoughts on sibling studies but nobody has been able to yet....? Please quantify the impact of breastfeeding in the absence of socioeconomic variables.

Cuppasoupmonster · 03/02/2023 13:15

AutumnScream · 03/02/2023 12:14

Maybe you should get therapy to get rid of that bee in your bonnet about your own feeding choices.

Show quote history

I breastfed for 8 months, but nice try!

Cuppasoupmonster · 03/02/2023 13:15

ToomuchtodoVerylittletime · 03/02/2023 12:34

@Cuppasoupmonster hmm I feel a response to this Q could be opening up a can of worms as a lot of the benefits to breastfeeding may be upsetting for some people to read. Especially those who tried, found it difficult and stopped earlier than they wanted to.

Many studies prove the benefits (especially illness related ones) and you can look into this, it's all on the net or in books.

How convenient, that you can’t actually say…

Mitfordian · 03/02/2023 13:17

@Cuppasoupmonster none of them will. I also breastfed but it seems I didn't make an identity out of it or feel superior and therefore was doing it wrong....

TheSpellingGame · 03/02/2023 13:19

I don't believe that UK parents make feeding decisions in isolation. UNICEF research makes this clear. Formula marketing is aggressive.

A while ago someone suggested a "state" formula. This would be amazing, taking the power away from the formula companies.

Formula feeding is absolutely the norm in the UK. It's fine (provided you can afford it) but let's not pretend marketing has nothing to do with this.

www.unicef.org/press-releases/more-half-parents-and-pregnant-women-exposed-aggressive-formula-milk-marketing

GreaterStickle · 03/02/2023 13:19

Mitfordian · 03/02/2023 13:14

@GreaterStickle can you explain that? I asked if anyone would tell me their thoughts on sibling studies but nobody has been able to yet....? Please quantify the impact of breastfeeding in the absence of socioeconomic variables.

I think you tagged the wrong person.

Mitfordian · 03/02/2023 13:25

@GreaterStickle no I didn't. You said formula was a poor substitute and I asked you to quantify that statement with fact.

Strathyre · 03/02/2023 13:27

I honestly don't understand why we end up beating each other up on these threads. The facts are that the vast majority of women want to breastfeed but too many don't end up doing it. The problem is not a lack of motivation, its a lack of practical support with the realities of breastfeeding. I tried everything to breastfeed my premature twins, and I got all kinds of praise and encouragement for my efforts in the hospital. However what I needed was for someone with some knowledge of BF to look at my babies' tongues and tell me they were tongue tied! I gave up at 3 months because it was clear they were never going to get any significant amount of milk at the breast and all I got from various health professionals was more positivity and encouragement. We were finally diagnosed at 4 months after developing a severe bottle feeding aversion, also due to the undiagnosed tongue tie. All in all it was a horrendous 4 months that could so easily have been better if I'd had some real practical support!

GreaterStickle · 03/02/2023 13:28

Mitfordian · 03/02/2023 13:25

@GreaterStickle no I didn't. You said formula was a poor substitute and I asked you to quantify that statement with fact.

Oh right. There’s plenty of information answering that question posted on this thread.

dirt · 03/02/2023 13:29

Formula is not always a poor substitute ffs.

BlueDiamondGlow · 03/02/2023 13:31

Mitfordian · 03/02/2023 13:14

@GreaterStickle can you explain that? I asked if anyone would tell me their thoughts on sibling studies but nobody has been able to yet....? Please quantify the impact of breastfeeding in the absence of socioeconomic variables.

@Mitfordian
Read Amy Brown's book Informed is Best. She talks about the limitations of that sibling study.

This series in the Lancet is useful to understand the issues too www.thelancet.com/series/breastfeeding
I think the Lancet are publishing an updated issue on breastfeeding soon too.

Ncgirlseriously · 03/02/2023 13:31

I’m not surprised the UK has a terrible breastfeeding rate, seeing as many people seem to only know guilt and shame as a means to promote it- which isn’t helping.

When I had trouble my HV just said I should be concerned about the damage it would to to my bond with my son if I stopped (and there were no local support groups so it was just Put up and Shut up). Which is exactly what you DONT want to hear when your baby won’t eat and your nips are bleeding and you’re still recovering from childbirth. I switched to pumping and got along just fine with that and our “bond” is absolutely fine. Health visitors really need to wind their neck in sometimes.

Mitfordian · 03/02/2023 13:31

No there isn't! That's my point!

Sibling study data proves there is very little to no difference between FF and BF children. Most other studies cannot remove the confounding variables of socioeconomic status, race, education etc and therefore sibling studies should be seen as the panacea. Each time I ask about then, I am ignored because it's quite inconvenient.....

AIBAnxious · 03/02/2023 13:32

I guess what I'm saying is, it frustrates me that we argue over this like it's an ideological issue. It's not, for most people it's a resource issue. If it was possible to get proper breast feeding support on the NHS, more women would breast feed for longer. Fact. On that subject, the total absence of support for bottle feeding is also a disgrace. I'm forever grateful to the NCT feeding helpline which do offer this and were the first place to suggest that my very obviously tongue tied babies might be tongue tied.

Cuppasoupmonster · 03/02/2023 13:32

AutumnScream · 03/02/2023 13:26

What those articles tell you is that there is not a single thing that breastfeeding protects against completely. And it makes very little difference (negligible in fact) to the long term health of a baby. The most impressive impact it has is on ear infections. Have you actually breastfed or are you approaching this as a pregnant woman with ‘ideals’ that she has no experience of yet?

Cuppasoupmonster · 03/02/2023 13:34

Mitfordian · 03/02/2023 13:31

No there isn't! That's my point!

Sibling study data proves there is very little to no difference between FF and BF children. Most other studies cannot remove the confounding variables of socioeconomic status, race, education etc and therefore sibling studies should be seen as the panacea. Each time I ask about then, I am ignored because it's quite inconvenient.....

I mean:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/parenting/3616907-Mothers-who-have-both-FF-and-BF-children

Mitfordian · 03/02/2023 13:41

Ok I will look up the critique of the sibling studies.

My main point still stands that the benefits are marginal according to all data. If something is 'better' by 0.5% that is very different to being the absolute best option. I believe what the science actually shows is a marginal reduction in ear infections, gastro illness and some long term benefits to the mother (but increased short term risk of breast cancer). I would have liked someone to actually tell me these facts when I was pregnant instead of the epic gaslighting that goes on...

Citycentre3 · 03/02/2023 13:51

Formula feeding should never be a choice. It should be a necessity because breastfeeding is not possible and/or has failed. That should be the natural order of things.

Crazycrazylady · 03/02/2023 13:52

Cuppasoupmonster · 03/02/2023 09:05

@Twizbe why are you so invested in other women’s breastfeeding choices? I see you all over these threads like a rash, going on and on about the evils of formula and how the slightest thing will ‘damage breastfeeding’ (followed up with a cursory ‘oh but it’s fine to bottle feed of course’ like that makes everything else you said less hysterical).

OP, mind your own business. You sound frankly a bit nuts starting an outraged thread that women put dummies in their hospital bags.

Here here x 1 million

x2boys · 03/02/2023 13:56

GreaterStickle · 03/02/2023 13:11

Yes it’s a choice.

No, formula is not amazing. It is a substitute, and a poor one at that. It should be used out of necessity only.

Show quote history

Well.fortunately you only get to decide how you feed your own babies you don't get to.decide how other mother ,s should feed them and why.

Mitfordian · 03/02/2023 13:57

Citycentre3 · 03/02/2023 13:51

Formula feeding should never be a choice. It should be a necessity because breastfeeding is not possible and/or has failed. That should be the natural order of things.

Lol!! This is one of the best yet.