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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

384 replies

Mrswhiskerson · 07/09/2011 14:34

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.

OP posts:
porcamiseria · 07/09/2011 17:09

big fucking deal

you hardly get anything with the ppoints anyway

WHATEVER

TheVermiciousKnid · 07/09/2011 17:10

Ah, here is my secret to growing ginormous cabbages: fertilise them with breastmilk. Wink

addictediam · 07/09/2011 17:14

Yabu, personally I think its more shocking pharmasists (and not all of them) won't give advice on baby milk to an over tired emotional first time mum with a screaming 11 day old baby in her arms because 'breast milk is what you should give'

I will always be eternally grateful to the wonderful pharmisist who used his common sence and helped me (and dd) out so much

slavetofilofax · 07/09/2011 17:19

YABVVU!

Punishing her? Being penalised for not breastfeeding? What planet do you live on?

People shouldn't be rewarded for giving their baby second rate food. I'm honestly not slating ff, it's a valid choice, but it is certainly not something people should be rewarded for with points that equate to a shopping voucher!

iloveroses · 07/09/2011 17:24

YABVVVU

qwepoi · 07/09/2011 17:24

Gwen - Why is it such a problem to say that if you don't want to pay for ff you should bf (or not have children as someone said). It's simplistic but basicaly true. I do undersatnd that the truth can be tought to hear. I know people have problems bf, I had them myself. But with help and determination most women can bf. We wouldn't have got far as a species if we couldn't raise our own young.
But people can't have it both ways - ie you can't say I chose to ff and then complain that you had to pay. If you truely couldn't bf (which is a tiny minority) then fair enough, it's tough but you'll have to pay (although you could have noted that I did also say that in these cases ff should be free on prescription).

onagar · 07/09/2011 17:28

OP it's because as everyone knows any company making formula is part of an evil conspiracy. That probably started on mumsnet as it goes so look around you for the cause.

This is a good example of the attitude.

People shouldn't be rewarded for giving their baby second rate food.

See? never mind that you might not have a choice for health reasons. It's still a bad thing to do

addictediam · 07/09/2011 17:28

Qwepoi I couldn't bf, dd was and still is allergic to cows milk, and as a result my milk. Your view is idiolistic not realiastic

Vallhala · 07/09/2011 17:29

Can't be arsed to argue with you, Siamo, I have work to do. Let's just say that regardless of whether your observational skills are or are not flawed your rudeness speaks volumes for you.

qwepoi · 07/09/2011 17:29

addicted - like I said in that case you should have been given free ff on prescription.

Againagainagain · 07/09/2011 17:31

Second rate food ffs here we go again

They should stop offers on jars of baby food then is this is second rate food

qwepoi · 07/09/2011 17:35

It is second rate though. The processed, dried milk of another species with added artificial ingredients. Does a great job when needed, but is not the same as fresh milk made from the same animal.

Againagainagain · 07/09/2011 17:37

People just say that to be offensive

Why do you feel the need to be rude about the way others feed their babies

2shoes · 07/09/2011 17:41

I am always amazed that any one cares that some poster on the internet with a nasty streak thinks about how they feed their baby,
ignore them and enjoy your baby

qwepoi · 07/09/2011 17:48

I'm not actually interested in how each individual feeds their baby (ie not interested in your reasons) but I am interested in the overall method of baby feeding across the population. ANd why our bf rates are so dismal. And I think lots more honesty is needed - why is rude to say that bf is better than ff? If women have made their choices in full knowledge of all the facts and without a negative societal influence then fair enough. Why do lots of women say they couldn't feed when they mean they didn't really want to and then get all touchy about it?
This is why I think that the free on prescription idea is good - babies who really need ff will get it and the mothers would feel 'validated' . Would obviously need to be coupled with massively improved infrastructure of advice and workplaces though. In about one generation most mothers would have bf'd and then the community as a whole would support the next lot of mummies. BF would be normal. Will never happen though due to the huge amount of money and power of nestle etc.

hairylights · 07/09/2011 17:54

YABU and over sensitive.

slavetofilofax · 07/09/2011 19:03

I'm not being offensive, I'm stating a fact. It is second best, we know that. If people want to get offended by then then that says more about the way they feel about their choice than it does about what I say.

Very few people cannot bf, but obviously lots of people have very valid very real reasons why for them, ff is the better option. I'm not criticizing that, but I do think that people should feel lucky that they have such a good alternative to bfing instead of looking for reasons to be offended.

Like 2shoes just said, why care what anyone else thinks if you know you are doing your best for your baby and you know that ff is not going to do any harm? Just get on and enjoy your baby, it's fine to ff. Just don't freak out any time someone mentions that it is not as good for a baby as bm.

CamperFan · 07/09/2011 19:22

I agree, slave

nannyl · 07/09/2011 19:32

also agree with you slave

Of course formular is inferior to breast milk..... it just is, fact, end of, and no formular milk from a cow is close it either. (although it of course baby to survive, grow and not starve to death)
Hence well done our government for not allowing this far less healthy, inferior option to be subsidised or promoted with points / offers

Moominsarescary · 07/09/2011 19:53

Boring, the bf brigade turning everything into a ff bf fight as usual, have you got nothing else going on in your lives to talk about other than banging on and on about how superior your choice in feeding is

Makes me wonder what exactly some of them are trying to prove and why they have to keep validating their choice of feeding

wildhairrunning · 07/09/2011 20:02

Yabu

And please get your facts right - your friend chose to stop breastfeeding - it was not that she could not. You can bf through mastitis - it just takes a lot of bloody perseverance. I wish people would stop saying they couldn't in cases like this when it was that she chose to stop. I had mastitis numerous times and had a couple of friends with mastitis so severe they were hospitalised yet they continued to bf so saying she couldn't is wrong - she chose not to

MangoMonster · 07/09/2011 20:04

I think they can't... To encourage bf.

DuelingFanjo · 07/09/2011 20:08

blimey, a couple of points she won't get. I suppose this is the type of thing that pushes a person over the edge Grin

belgo · 07/09/2011 20:20

The best way to treat mastitis is to feed through it. I have done so six or seven times, very painful though.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 07/09/2011 20:35

Well I look forward to all this help when I have this baby then because it sure as hell didn't exist 3 years ago when I had dd. And don't give me fucking determination. You have NO IDEA. Full of idealism, judgement and pie in the sky whitterings and not an actual clue what it's like to be on the receiving end. As shown by your previous statement.