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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that the new SMA advert is very close to breaching the WHO code.

170 replies

sickoftheholidays · 09/04/2011 12:06

Just seen that nauseating advert from SMA "Theres nothing more important than what you do for your baby at the start" cue mum handing lap top with big SMA logo on the screen over to dad, and then picking up newborn baby.......

I thought the UK we werent allowed to advertise breastmilk substitutes for babies under 6 months of age? yet here we are with a newborn and a clear implication that SMA is a great thing to do for your baby at the start.

I honestly dont want to get into the whole bf/af debate, I dont give a sh*t what mums choose to feed their infants as long as its nutritionally adequate, correctly made and in sufficient quantity, but I do support mums having accurate unbiased information regarding feeding choices for their infant, and also about manufacturers of artificial milks sticking to the rules regarding their adverts! The cow and gate one was misleading enough, but at least the baby was over 6 months!

OP posts:
MsScarlett · 09/04/2011 22:20

Exactly my thoughts Giddy!

Jogon · 09/04/2011 22:23

Which ones would you class as " good formulas", sausagesandmarmalade?

sausagesandmarmelade · 09/04/2011 22:24

I do recall that SMA was actually recommended to me by the hospital where my DD was born...

If it was recommended to me by a pediatrician then I reckoned it must be good stuff.

But who cares about advertising of these products, new parents need to be able to make an informed choice on what's out there.

Panzee · 09/04/2011 22:24

All of them. They're all the same.

sausagesandmarmelade · 09/04/2011 22:25

SMA Gold was good for my DD and many other mothers used Cow and Gate and their babies were happy and healthy.

sausagesandmarmelade · 09/04/2011 22:25

In fact I'm not aware of a bad formula.

ongakgak · 09/04/2011 22:32

The ad seems dodgy but have not seen it so, not sure.

formula is adequate, BM is optimal. Surely that is the consensus?

You ff, big deal. You bf, big deal. But it BF is better and having the blinkers on that it is not is simply daft.

Oh and if there is some sort of medical condition that means you or your baby is not compatible for BF, then of course FF is a adequate option. If you are in a state of misery feeding with cracked nipples and recurrent mastitis, then you should be given more support to BF. At your home, with a BF counsellor for as long as you need. New mums should have the option of staying in the Hospital to establish BF if they wish. Alas it is not the case, and I suppose it is a money issue as to why.

Jogon · 09/04/2011 22:34

Just curious as to how you know they're good formulas, though.
What do you consider as healthy?
No asthma, eczema,allergies, few colds, coughs etc?

BabyDubsEverywhere · 09/04/2011 22:39

Im not aware of a bad one

This is why i think HCPs should have information to give to moms. I was quite alone when i had my first, i had no idea what formula to go for, i asked my midwife and she said she couldnt tell me anything! i didnt have the internet then at home and really felt clueless. I ended up buying Farleys as that was cheapest and all the tins pretty much said the same thing. So even if you dont want them to be able to advertise there should be someone who could tell you XXX would suit your baby because.... XXX would be best for you because.... OR they are all the same buy the cheapest Grin

flumposie · 09/04/2011 22:40

I am totally aware that breast feeding is best, but the only thing that satisfied my daughter when i was unable to continue breastfeeding was SMA extra hungry - thank god for it is all I can say. When she lost a lot of weight all the midwife could say was there might be something wrong with her stomach which paniced me and when i asked her for more info all she could say was 'I am not a doctor' It was a hard decision to move to formula and eventually I went by what my sister used with her daughter, not the adverts for formula milk.

BabyDubsEverywhere · 09/04/2011 22:40

Is there a which report i wonder Grin

tiktok · 09/04/2011 23:26

sausages - of course people need to make an informed choice.

You won't get this by reading the packs or watching the adverts, and I am at a loss why people equate permitting free-for-all marketing with information.

Do you go for the formula that says 'now even closer than ever to breastmilk' or the one that says 'inspired by breastmilk' or the one that 'helps support your baby's immunity' or the one that has a cuddly duck on the pack or the one that gives you a free polar bear or the one that's 'gentle on your baby's digestion' or the one that has 'unique protein blend'....or what? Which of any of those gives you any information that actually helps you choose the right/best/most suitable formula for your baby?

There is no independent comparison of infant formulas; all infant formula in the world (all of it) has to obey the Codex Alimentarius run by the World Trade Organisation, and so there are probably not great differences between any of them. But no one is in a position to run trials comparing all the different brands and seeing health outcomes over several years.

tiktok · 09/04/2011 23:28

flumposie - a baby losing a lot of weight does need to see a doctor....glad things worked out for you.

duckypoo · 10/04/2011 00:00

Lets face it if you are so influenced by an advert that you abandon your thoughts of bf to buy a lifetime supply of sma, those supposed IQ enhancements are a moot point.

This whole ban is pathetic, the blurb on the side of the cow&cate packet seems to suggest there is no other alternative to bf pre 6 months, you should consult your dr before formula feeding blah blah blah Hmm.

We all know formula exists, most are convinced aptamil the most expensive one is best, it's changed nothing.

duckypoo · 10/04/2011 00:06

I went with the formula most likely to be in my local shop, does anybody actually believe marketing blurb. Actually reading style and beauty from time to time don't answer that, still, I don't see the point of the advertising ban.

WinkyWinkola · 10/04/2011 07:34

I believe formula companies were making unsubstantiated claims before the advertising code came in.

I think it's very important, no matter what the product, that manufacturers tell the truth. And of course they wouldn't spend £millions on advertising if they didn't think it had an effect. They also spend £££ on research before they spend the advertising so it's not just a hit and miss job.

And they are still making unsubstantiated claims:

So how can anyone believe breast is best then?

AlpinePony · 10/04/2011 07:37

Duckypoo - that's a very naive thing to say. I for one buy all my clothes at M&S, feel like chicken tonight and tell my kids we're going on holiday by writing it on a fucking blackboard! Grin Well, I have to go - I'm doing the shake & vac.

LadyOfTheManor · 10/04/2011 07:43

I thought this advert was for Follow On Milk (whatever the hell that is). Oh dear, then this isn't good. Have you got a link for the advert?

KD0706 · 10/04/2011 08:01

I've just watched the advert on sky. If you look really closely and pause it at the right moment, when mum has a newborn, she is looking at the sma 'how to breastfeed' on the laptop.

I'm guessing this is how they get away with it.

Of course I'm sure sma are massively supportive and well informed re breastfeeding. I'm sure they would hate any women who want to bf ending up ff due to lack of support

LadyOfTheManor · 10/04/2011 08:17

Ohhh that advert where she's on the phone asking for advice from SMA? Yes I noticed the laptop advert too. Sneaky swines.

tiktok · 10/04/2011 09:29

It's certainly the truth that some people are influenced a lot by what they see advertised, some people are influenced less, some people are influenced not very much, and some people are hardly influenced at all. And some ads are not solely to 'make' someone buy something, but more to shape attitudes and thus to affect behaviour and choices that way

If no one in the target market was influenced ever, and attitudes were not affected ever, advertising would stop.

dou-la-la.blogspot.com/2010/09/breast-is-best-sponsored-by-simfamil.html is a good link - and funny :)

BTW, in the US, where formula marketing is even less regulated than here, advertising of all infant formula is very common, and new mothers are sent free cases of formula as a 'gift'.

TruthSweet · 10/04/2011 12:04

I've just seen this article which talks about the US 'system' of advertising formula (they haven't implemented any of the WHO code) and whilst I find the UK formula adverts irritating & pushing the boundary of the law, I'm ever so grateful that we don't have a case of formula sent to an expectant mum's house if she ticks the planning on bfing box when signing up to a clothing store's mum & baby club. BTW if you tick the 'planning on ffing' box you might get some money off coupons but no freebies.

I chose to use Aptamil with DD1 as that is what mums who mix feed/planned to bf use (well actually DH did as he bought it and I was relieved he'd chosen that brand Confused). Can't imagine where I got that idea from as it wasn't on offer at the hospital - possibly the thousands of M&B and P&B magazines I read whilst TTC & pregnant........

PenguinArmy · 10/04/2011 16:42

I got sent a can of formula just for registering with the obst. I hadn't even had my first appointment, was about 8 weeks (so still at risk of MC) and if the neighbours had seen it, they would have put two and two together. Wrong on many levels.

usualsuspect · 10/04/2011 17:55

what does it matter what the neighbours think Confused

PenguinArmy · 10/04/2011 18:01

They would have known I was pg