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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that the formula companies are succeeding with their campaign to promote formula to be as good as breast milk...

462 replies

MissyKLo · 01/03/2011 14:12

...when it isn't?

this article rang true in so many ways

www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/2010/10/how-breast-is-best-came-to-be.html

Breast milk is of course, full of amazing antibodies and nourishment etc that formula can never replicate - but the formula companies are winning in their campaign to make people believe that formula is as good as breast milk aren't they? A lot of people don't see bf as a big deal and that babies are 'perfectly fine' on formula. But what about all the benefits of breast milk and the fact that so many babies don't ever get these?

Breast milk cannot be beaten on so many levels so why are the formula companies allowed to get away with this?!!!!!!

OP posts:
bubbleymummy · 01/03/2011 14:16

Yanbu. :)

Original poster
MissyKLo · 01/03/2011 14:18

hi bubbleymummy! good article don't you think?!

OP posts:
HecateQueenOfWitches · 01/03/2011 14:18

I hope you are fully protected, because you are going to get called some awful names. Tis always the way with threads like this.

People will read it and translate it into a direct criticism of their feeding choices. And then there will be the 'how very dare you, I tried to bf but couldn't...' posts.

But to answer your actual question, which is not an attack on ff or anything, or smug bf message, but is simply about formula companies and their advertising, the reason is simple...

They exist to make profits. They have a product to sell. They will do whatever it takes to sell that product to as many people as possible and make as much money as possible.

It is really not very complicated at all. You can sum it up in one character.

£

barmbrack · 01/03/2011 14:19

Yanbu.

HecateQueenOfWitches · 01/03/2011 14:21

and the rest of that post went up in smoke.

Forgive me, am foggy headed as today had to have beloved puss put to sleep.

as to why they are allowed to get away with it, it's cos they are big business and they put a lot of time and effort into staying one step ahead.

Original poster
MissyKLo · 01/03/2011 14:23

thanks hectate

as you are probably aware i am very pro bf and this article rang true to me. and this thread was not started to criticise anyone. yes i have strong feelings that women should bf if they can, but that is my personal opinion - although it is almost as if i am not allowed to say that as it might make someone 'feel bad' which is not why i say it, but i say it as it is how i feel. if people are happy with their choice on how they feed they shouldn't care about my opinion anyhow!

this article struck a cord with me though as it is almost as it we cannot say that nothing compares to breast milk

OP posts:
CBear6 · 01/03/2011 14:26

A quote from the article:

"PEGGY: (catching on) Women may dream of being perfect mothers, but they know it's just a dream. So if breastfeeding is perfect, we need to give them permission to be imperfect. Not just permission, but encourage them to be imperfect."

And that is why I hate any breastfeeding debates because anyone who FFs is forced into the role of "imperfect mother".

I'm not having a go at you but I think formula is a viable alternative to breastmilk. Not everyone can breastfeed or indeed wants to. Yes, the formula companies are there to make money and profit will always be king but they also provide a product capable of feeding and nourishing an infant.

Original poster
MissyKLo · 01/03/2011 14:28

of course it is up to every individual cbear6 but i suppose it is something that struck a chord with me

OP posts:
CBear6 · 01/03/2011 14:29

It struck a cord with me too but for entirely different reasons lol

Original poster
MissyKLo · 01/03/2011 14:30

tee hee - its interesting to see how different people read it! Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
MissyKLo · 01/03/2011 14:31

i was going to put cord

then i put chord

and thought nah thats wrong!

it is cord isnt it?!

OP posts:
BabyDubsEverywhere · 01/03/2011 14:35

I think, based on my opinions experiences and those of people i know, that Formula is seen as an acceptable alternative, and nothing more or less than that.

People dont need to see adverts for formula to believe this, all those people walking around as fully functioning adults that were formula fed are proof enough that formula is an acceptable alternative, for some.

EleanorJosie · 01/03/2011 14:36

I think it's just the right balance at the moment- that they are allowed to advertise follow on milk and that's it. I do think new mums should be given info about formula though and how to prepare it, as it's very important to prepare it correctly, first time round it did seem a bit shrouded in secrecy even when I wanted to wean her off breast milk to formula at 7 months. I had to ask advice from mums on the internet- imagine that Smile

I think the comment equating advertising of formula with cigarettes is absolutely fruit loop bonkers though.

EleanorJosie · 01/03/2011 14:37

It's chord MissKLo, as in a musical chord.

bubbleymummy · 01/03/2011 14:39

chord I think MrsK - as in an instrument...rather than umbilical...I think! :)

It's a very good article. I think 'breast is best' should be replaced by 'every breastfeed counts" - I think it's more motivating, emphasises the importance of breastfeeding but is more reassuring for mothers who did not manage to continue.

Original poster
MissyKLo · 01/03/2011 14:40

music to my ears bubbley! Grin

OP posts:
ilovedjasondonovan · 01/03/2011 14:40

Oh do please fuck off. Some of us have to FF, so just fuckity fuck off.

bubbleymummy · 01/03/2011 14:40

REally Eleanor - I don't think follow on formula or 'growing up milk' Hmm should be advertised either. People who ff say they don't need the advertisements to make a decision anyway so if they're pointless let's just get rid of them :)

Original poster
MissyKLo · 01/03/2011 14:44

why are you so worked up jasondonovan? this is not an attack on you so you are welcome to ignore this thread if you dont like it

swearing at others is trollish dontcha know

OP posts:
omnishambles · 01/03/2011 14:44

In my more unguarded moments Babydubs I sometimes think that we havent seen the full consequences of what is really a very short period of time in evolutionary terms of ff spelt out but I know I will be hammered on here for it so I've never expressed it before.

However this is true of most things of modern living - chemicals, phtlates, oestrogen in the water supply, loads of things, so its pretty pointless to pick it out on its own...

HecateQueenOfWitches · 01/03/2011 14:50

Did I predict that, Missy? Yes I did.

For my next trick - the lottery numbers...

5, 6, 8, 13, 15, 27

omnishambles · 01/03/2011 14:52

Hecate thats just showing off

ilovedjasondonovan · 01/03/2011 14:52

Sorry MissyKLo. Just having a bad afternoon. I promise I'm lovely really and not a troll. Just get a bit fed up with people saying that breast is the way to go.

As you were OP, sorry,

TattyDevine · 01/03/2011 14:53

I know a lot of formula feeders in "real life" (and I know a lot of breastfeeders too)

From general conversations etc, I dont actually feel any of the formula feeders believe that formula is "as good as" breastmilk. I think they all accept the message that "breast is best" at face value - i.e, breastmilk is nutritionally superior to formula milk.

They realise this, but they still formula feed, or supplement with formula, knowing this.

Apart from individual reasons for doing so that aren't nutritionally driven, I think its more of a case that they dont believe it makes so much of a difference that it will directly and strongly impact their baby.

A cereal bar is nutritionally superior to a Milky Way bar. A Nairns organic oat cake is nutritionally superior to a McVities Digestive. A corn fed steam fried chicken breast as the main component of a hot meal is nutritionally superior to Birds Eye Chicken dippers as the main component of a hot meal.

Yet, children will be served the nutrionally inferior version from time to time, or sometimes all the time, because its not considered to be so important as to warrant the feeding of the nutritionally superior version at whatever cost, be it financial or practical or otherwise.

I suspect people's opinions on the above fall broadly into two groups. Those who believe this is very sad and that things need to change to educate mothers of just how nutrionally superior breastmilk is, and those who feel that the benefits of breastfeeding are at best overstated.

thefruitwhisperer · 01/03/2011 14:54

All my friends and family told me that Aptamil was the closest to breastmilk you could get. They are of course, totally wrong. So YANBU.