To think it is shocking boots don't give points on first formula

[Mrswhiskerson]

This was brought to my attention again because a friend of mine has just had a baby tried to breastfeed suffered mastitis and started feeling really down so she switched to formula, when she handed over her advantage card she was told points were not given on first formula , she felt bad enough she could not breast feed and now it feels like she is getting penalised for it elsewhere.

I found the same thing when I had ds a year ago when I was told ,you don't get points for first milk I felt really bad too it's like your being punished for not breastfeeding in a way .

This is in no way a bf vs ff debate I just think it's wrong of boots to do this.

There are still many many people who believe that formula milk is as good as, if not better then, breastmilk. There are still many people (including health visitors and doctors) who are heavily influenced by the promotion of formula milk.

I have friends in the US who were given free formula milk during their pregnancies. Here in Belgium I was given free formula milk by a health visitor even though I was breastfeeding.

You may not think that relevant if you live in the UK, but these companies are international, and if the UK laws did not exist, the formula milk companies would do the same in the UK as they do in many other parts of the world.

what an excruciatingly dimwitted OP. Where do I complain that Boots didn't give me points for BF'ing past 6 months when the give points on follow on milk? Surely that means they were punishing me for not buying the formula?

No? Then feck off with your equally ridiculous complaint.

I'll take your word for it qwepoi. :) It's a long time since I chose to formula feed my own daughters so I don't look at formula packaging now.

Though I must say that anyone with a DM or MIL like yours who interfere wrt how to feed your child needs to tell the beggars that they, like the nanny EU, can mind their flaming own!

qwepoi I was influenced by neither.

I chose not to BF for a variety of reasons of my own.

It is possible for child-bearing/rearing women to make autonomous decisions, you know! :o

upahill - i know: i was reiterating it because I was boredwith the ff/bf debate.

Think the OP might have done it deliberately.

Valhalla you missed a point somewhere along the way. The whole point in fact. You should go back to the beginning, start again, and wait for the lightbulb over your head to light up.

"Valhalla you missed a point somewhere along the way. The whole point in fact. You should go back to the beginning, start again, and wait for the lightbulb over your head to light up."

I'm perfectly aware of the point and the law on the matter, thank you Siamo and nodded to the OP's topic in my first post. On the subject of missing things, you appear to have been in another queue when they were handing out manners and observational skills.

Or in anothrwords, off you...

If loyalty card points and special offers didn't influence people and thus affect what people buy, then companies wouldn't run them, would they?

If you don't want to pay then bf

And prize for the most fuckwitted statement of the month goes to.... Amazing, I didn't think we'd peak so early on. How will anyone follow that?

The UK doesn't have a good BF rate it shouldn't be promoting formula. They aren't making it more expensive are they? Just not giving you freebie points. That isn't punishment

I'd argue brand loyalty rather than a complete switch from one ethical/practical/medical viewpoint to another, TheBigJessie, though I know that many will disagree.

It's against the law - they can't be seen to be incentivising FF over BF.

Anyway, it's not like you get Boots Advantage points for breastmilk, so it's not like she's being punished for FF is it?

Loyalty points may make me:

• shop at one store over another
• buy one brand over another

They're not going to make me buy dog food when I don't have a dog.

my observational skills are just fine. Did you perhaps forget what you wrote? Let me help you out then, I'm nice like that.
"They're not allowed to because the nanny state EU is actively trying to disincentivise women in this country from choosing to formula feed."

and since all they are doing is preventing the unfair monetary incentive to FF, what you said clearly is factually inaccurate. A level playing field is not a disincentive. It's neutral, isn't it?
I do find it odd that so many people can be in a vast majority and yet still whine so much about being penalised, punished and bullied. Odd.

If you're on certain benefits formula is free anyway you can get it with the healthy start vouchers iirc. And I take issue with the 'bf is free' arguement too. I spent a bloody fortune on bras and breast pads so it's not without expense.

Not read this thread. Will now stalk it and spot old faces under new names.

I used to think the same thing about it only potentially affecting brand loyalty.

Then I was told that free samples in hospital bags actually do affect the breastfeeding rate. If having a little sachet of SMA/C&G/Aptamil (other brands may be available) affects whether you decide to use formula or not, then why not inclusion in points offers?

OP not sure if you missed to 50+ posts before you replied but just incase you did I will clarify - Boots are not out to punish you, they are complying with the law.

If you are genunielly struggling to cover the cost of formula then some people are entitled to they healthy start scheme.

For those who advice that BF is free is you can't afford to FF , it is not actually free, and nuring bras can be up to £30 each. However, someone will be along to advise me in a minute that all they needed to BF was a couple of cabbages grown in their back garden but they don't have norks as big as me

but they don't have norks as big as me

Yes I do! I just grew bigger cabbages.

It is actually free. You may choose to buy optional extras like nursing bras, you may even choose to spend loads on them, but BF is still free.

But brand loyalty is also important. Chopping and changing between formulas can mask signs of illness in babies, which is why you're discouraged from doing it.
The sole nutrition for a baby for the first 6 months of life is so important. Too important for commercial interests to be allowed to treat it like any other product in terms of marketing strategies. I'm with Maureen Minchin on this one: it shouldn't be left up to the markets.

I don't think you get Nectar points for buying ciggies or Tesco clubcard points when buying stamps either - some products are exempt. Loyalty points are a scam bonus, not some kind of sacred birthright.

Penalised, ffs.

I think that it is fair enough that formula is exempt from promotions/offers. YABU and your friend is taking this much too seriously.

Vermicious I am jealous of your cabbage nurturing, mine wouldn't cover my nipples