to think the FF / BF statistics may be wrong?

[shirleyhyypia]

I completed a survey for the NHS recently on how DS is fed. He is exclusively BF, however the day he was born he had a 7ml syringe of formula, to help him settle, as he was sucking and sucking at my (actually rather copius) colostrum, but was still starving.

The survey asked if DS had EVER had formula, even if it was only once, and then went on to ask loads of questions, assuming he was still having it? There was a comments box where I explained, but I have a feeling that they will just look at the numbers and see that in the eyes of the survey he wasnt "exclusively" BF.

Obviously it doesnt actually matter to me, but I cant help but think that this may have something to do with why Britains BF numbers are so low???

Don't think so, the majority of people I know formula fed. It might affect the figures a little but I think the trend is formula.

I know FF is the trend anyway, just saying the figures might be a bit off.

Two friends had DSs at the same time as me, one BF for a few months (inc the odd bottle of F) and one FF from birth. The girl in the bed next to me in hospital BF but also gave her DS formula once (obv i dont know what happened when she went home

So even though 75% of us BF, 100% of us had given formula at some point.....

(and the OFFICIAL NHS survey doesnt distinguish between once and full blown mixed feeding)

That does sound misleading. My dd1 was the same - the doctors said she needed formula once in hospital, when I was still woozy after the caesarean, but after that she never had formula again and was bf for 2 1/2 years. If they don't distinguish that from ongoing mixed feeding they won't get an accurate picture.

Two threads?

I agree. I'm in Scotland and after 6-8 weeks no one bothers to ask any more. At the 6 week review I was mix feeding (one bottle overnight). By 12 weeks I was exclusively b/f again but the stats don't reflect that cos nobody's bothered to ask! DD's 6 months today and still breastfed.

Hmm. I was at the docs recently for my older child and I was talking about the possibility of my 7 month old getting it. She assured me that she would have my immunity as well so had a better defence against it. That is, she ASSUMED I was BFing her, even at 7 months, without asking. This was a doctor I have never seen before.

But yes, in answer to the OP, it might skew them the tiniest bit.