Refusal to discuss formula feeding at parentcraft class

[obeliaboo]

AIBU? Ready for the fire!
I've been told that in order for me to have a tour of my chosen hospital's delivery suite, that i need to attend 'parentcraft' classes.
Yesterday was exclusively about breastfeeding, fair enough, didnt know that of course until we got there.
So, as the midwife goes on about breastfeeding and support, I enquire what is the support for those who fall into small percentage of mums who cannot breastfeed. Simple question.
"What do you mean?".
I had to ask again, and put it across that i intend to breastfeed, but what if i cant, what if my milk doesn't come in. It happens, it happened to my eldest sister, its nothing to be ashamed of so whats the harm in asking and what is the support in that situation.
"We don't discuss artificial feeding".
Seriously?? I understand the necessity to promote breastfeeding is a priority for the NHS, because it seriously needs normalising, but to just object to even touching on the subject of formula feeding really riled me. I felt like i was at a propaganda session! She instead continued to address breastfeeding and a specific brand of electric breast bump at a specifc well known retailer.
Is this what the NHS supports? Big business's and there overpriced products (the specific one mentioned was over £100, I am not in a position to be able to afford something like that for a start), under the guise that 'breast is best', its the best start for baby - and insinuating that formula is the devil when for some poor souls, it is the only option?
AIBU for finding this absolutely snotty and condescending? There are mums out there who are underconfident, or genuinely don't lactate, mums who have gone through breastcancer and mastectomies etc, so why are these midwives refusing to even consider discussing both options.
Why make it militant and harder for those who simply can't, to speak up without feeling ashamed?
FYI this is the 3rd midwife i've had ranting at me over this.

Instructions for ff are on all the cartons. Is quite simple. Why the need for a discussion?

What support would you need to formula feed? Genuine question, you read the back of the package and follow the instructions!

It sounds like it was the Breastfeeding class though so that's what it's about.

Formula feeding is simple - bottle, formula, away you go. No support needed.

It's because it's the law. The UK is signed up to a World Health Organisation agreement not to promote formula feeding antenatally.

But you don't need support to formula feed you just do it.

Midwives often misinterpret the 'Baby Friendly' hospitals initiative and say they can't mention ff. they absolutely can, as can NCT etc, as long as they don't do a group demo of making bottles, or say anything that undermines confidence in bf. I think it is appalling that many don't understand this - it leaves people feeling angry and unsupported.

Wilderness/signore

Have either of you actually ff?

Once DS was on a drip at 5 days old due to dehydration, they basically showed me where the little individual milk cartons were kept in the kitchen!
I had to plead for help with continuing breastfeeding.

That's crap. :(

It also isn't universal. When my baby was born and I had all manner of BF problems, the hospital were very helpful in teaching me about formula. (6 months ago)

And signora the 'instructions" for BF are on the Internet. Most people still find talking about it helpful? What's the diff?

She is probably not allowed to discuss formula feeding.

How to formula feed is easy though, I think you are worrying unnecessarily.

I was enquiring about the support for mums who cannot breastfeed, I wasn't asking for instructions on how to mix formula SignoraStronza, but gosh thanks for the help.

Im asking about the support a new mum would need, should her milk not come in or she can't breastfeed, how is that hard to answer?
What patient support is there, if a breastfeeding mum is struggling, there are midwives, lactation consultants, volunteers etc who help.
So if a new mother who finds out she cant, what you just waggle a box of formula in her face and tell her to get on with it?
Where is the emotional support?

From what I remember I wanted to BF DS1 which I did. I struggled so the HV gave me tips and advice. I then decided that I wanted to do mixed feeds but was too nervous because the classes had said that the baby will only do the one thing, teat or breast. I took them at their word.

Eventually I told DH what they said to which he replied 'Bollocks, a baby is more intelligent than those idiots. Of course he can do both'. So I tried it, no problem.

TBH I wouldn't discuss it any further with them and just do what works for you and your child.

If the hospital is working towards a BF accreditation then they won't be allowed talk about formula in a group session.

Weird way to answer though. I teach parentcraft and wouldn't have said that. Something along the lines of "if you have problems we'd work with you postnatally on a feeding plan to address the issues" or something like that.

And YANBU OP
Except ff will cost a lot more than the£ 100 You were quoted for the pump I'm afraid

But if you try to breastfeed and you can't for whatever reason the support is through the Breastfeeding network - the peer supporters, midwives, the LLL. There's not specific formula support.

I think it's terrible that they won't discuss formula feeding, fine if they want to promote and support bfing, but formula feeding shouldn't be unmentionable. I say this as an extended bfer. They are supposed to be there to support mums, it's difficult enough as it is ffs!

There's no emotional support if you can't breastfeed...lots of people who will go out of their way to make you feel a useless failure though...(bitter? Moi?)

I don't agree that you don't need support to FF. Just look at the threads on here looking for practical tips etc. I breastfed to start with but turned to a ff friend for advice when we started to move into combined feeding later. I do understand the need for positive bias on breastfeeding but it wouldn't have hurt to include a quick overview of the key points. YANBU.

I disagree that DF needs no support. The whole process of sterns img etc can be quite daunting for some. My best friend was unable to continue breastfeeding and struggled switching her daughter to the bottle initially because they were holding her too low (at an angle for BF) and she was struggling to swallow as the formula was coming a bit too fast.

You are being totally reasonable but they are properly banned from being able to talk about FF

Boysclothes thats what i mean, a response like that would have been more reassuring and accurate to the topic.

Judging by the enormous numbers of Mumsnetters who prepare formula wrongly, it's a disgrace that formula feeding isn't allowed to be discussed in parentreaty classes.

And the snotty attitudes that lead to such decisions are out in force on this thread, I see.

The hospital will have a strategy to adopt which include not promoting formula feeding.

Breastfeeding need more support that formula feeding- after all feeding women have a whole society full of others who formula feed, plus it is a far more complex skill.
Many breastfeeding women - like me didn't know anyone- including any of my family members who had breastfed.

There needs to be special measure in place to balance this.

How am i being unreasonable - i wasn't aware there was a ban on discussing my sons feeding options, should i or any of the other mums present at the session, be unable to breastfeed. Simple as that really, and i wasn't aggressive, yet the midwife decided to be which i found awful.