Bargin Booze advertising a specific brand of infant Formula

[Beatrixemerald]

Totally expecting a flaming here buty local Bargain Booze is advertising Cow and Gate formula on a sandwich board outside, if nothing else it is illegal, but I also think I should probably mind my own business but it gets on my nerves. Think they should probably stick to booze. WIBU to say something to them?

I am all for freedom of choice- as you are. But half of all women who start off breastfeeding ( their choice) are no longer doing so by six weeks.

Surely women who breastfeed and switch to formula after a certain amount of weeks it's because they tried it and found it wasn't for them or found it difficult?

I can't image anyone who enjoyed breastfeeding and found it easy would suddenly decide to start feeding their babies something that actually costs money and takes time to prepare.

You are not coming across well on this thread at all. You are completely one sided. How someone decides is best to feed their child is their business and not yours.

Loads stop because of pressure from others or because in the area they live it's not the norm.
Because for no reason other than external comments they believe BM is not enough or that BF is dirty or doing it is making a slutty show of yourself,or because they are nervous to feed in public.

Is aptimil any better than sma? I know it's more expensive but what makes it better?

She hasn't said anything wrong or inappropriate or even vaguely smug or blaming.

Her posts are fairly balanced and the only negatives are towards the fairly well known advertising practises and the cause.

I don't think there's a problem tbh.
they probably heard that men are often sent out for formula and nappies from supermarket when they tell their dw they are going for ale.
it was research done by leading supermarkets and why they put baby essentials on the same isle as booze during the footy season.
good for them for their forward thinking and using others research for their own gain.
tis good business, is that

I started breastfeeding, that was my plan and intention. DS was premature though and struggled to feed - I found out this was common for prems after leaving hospital, there was no information given to me at the time. He lost so much weight we weren't allowed to leave hospital and in the end had to go onto premature baby formula. I've got no idea what happened to this day, I'm guessing a combination of him not being able to feed and my milk not coming in. At the time I was very hurt by comments that I should've persisted, until DS was 4lb? 3lb? And a person that told me premature babies were more likely to die if not breastfed. Probably statistically true but not very helpful at the time because it wasn't working! I also found out about milk banks for prems etc after leaving hospital, again too late. Oh and I couldn't have bf support because of their borough I lived in - nice one NHS!
Anyway, it wasn't marketing that led to DS being on formula (although I accept it does influence some) it was the situation I was in. I'm sure I'm not alone in this. When you're in hospital, you're sick, your baby is sick you do what you're advised to do.
Instead of the scary health posters I think the money would be better spend on posters and leaflets on common bf problems / where to get support etc IMO.

Well said Abbey, you are not alone at all. Neither of mine were prem but I had a myriad of problems that altogether made BF a nightmare. It was never mentioned at ante natal classes that BF might not work out.
I hadn't even given formula a thought until it became clear the situation was not going to improve any time soon.

Me neither Sparkling I'd just assumed bf would be easy and not thought about formula at all. I guess statistically I'm one of the 50% that started and gave up. I wonder if anyone collates anything on why the 50% gave up? That might become useful for antenatal courses and support so they could go through those things.
I'm currently pregnant with DC2 and will aim to bf again. At least I'll know about plan B this time though just in case!

There might be a difficulty with the word 'support'... it appears women hear their bf experiences might have been better with 'support' and this makes them feel blamed. In fact, it's not a mother's own fault if she did not get 'support' - 'support' comes from other people, other services, and no one can be blamed if it does not exist.

"Support' is a multi-faceted. It's far more than someone telling you that bf is a good thing, and that if you 'persevere' things will work out. It's far more than a few posters on walls. It's far more than a bf support group being open, close by and accessible. It's far more than having a mum who breastfed.

All of the above might have a role to play (though not the 'persevere and it will work out' approach, which is rubbish!). But they need to be alongside knowledgable, practical help for problems which mothers don't have to look hard to find. These measures need to be alongside ethical marketing for formula (formula should be sold at the same, consistently low price, easily available, make no claims which are not justifiable, not promoted as if it was any other consumer product).

Of course feeding method should be a matter of choice - but it's not a 'choice' if you wanted to breastfeed and have to use formula because your breastfeeding went wrong. That's being forced into it!

How many threads do we have on here with comments about wanting to BF but couldn't access any help or information and feeling let down by that

Loads

Well said tik tok.

I blame no one for lack of support- that's not the mothers' fault. I know how difficult it was for me, support was hard to find, I trusted my HV ( who in retrospect gave me crap advice).

I never felt forced, just relieved.

That's good sparkling

I never felt forced or pressured to BF either, wouldn't it be good if everyone could make the choice they wanted and access help if they need or want it.

Yep Needs. It will be good when it becomes just the norm to do whatever you need to get through without any judgement.

Loads stop because of pressure from others or because in the area they live it's not the norm.
Because for no reason other than external comments they believe BM is not enough or that BF is dirty or doing it is making a slutty show of yourself,or because they are nervous to feed in public.

Really? Because I know far many more who stop for the reasons I listed above, that actually other than the obvious health benefits for baby, its just pretty shitty! I'm going to try not to turn this anymore into a breast vs ff debate but I think thats what it is. Yes the reasons you state happen but many more (I know of) stop because your sold a dream of breast being best with the cute photo of baby snuggled up and told nothing about the actual reality. No amount of support is going to stop waking up in the middle of the night soaked through. No amount of support was going to stop the resentment I felt when DH was snoring beside me. Yes he could have sat up while I fed and been tired at work the next day but what good would that have done? No amount of support is going to really help with supply issues, over supply issues, mastisis etc. And I never fully realised the extent of being glued to my cluster feeding baby 24/7 would have on my mental health! I take my hat off to mums who do it, but some of us can't or just don't want to.

Is aptimil any better than sma? I know it's more expensive but what makes it better?

Hard to know when they've banned advertising isn't it?

And here here to it becoming the norm that you can do whatever you want without any judgement!

But back to the original point, it should be advertised where sells formula the law is ridiculous and I wouldn't report the shop. Literally last week I called DH a numpty because he was sent for formula and went to the corner shop where its £10.99 instead of the tesco two doors down the road where its £8odds. But thats an issue I have with my silly husband.

Is aptimil any better than sma? I know it's more expensive but what makes it better?

Hard to know when they've banned advertising isn't it?

Oh come on! An advert for SMA is hardly going to say "well Aptamil is better but we're cheaper" is it? Look at the adverts for follow on milk. The provide fuck all useful factual information.

The answer is - all formula is tightly controlled by law. So all formulas are basically the same. Aptamil just brands itself in nice premium packaging and costs to more to convince middle class parents to pay more for the same thing (Some babies do have a preference between brands, for taste or whatever. But that's like the difference between preferring a cox apple to a granny smith, one isn't better than the other).

(Formula is a marvellous product. I do have a hatred for Aptamil and their devious marketing tactics though. )

Back to the original point I wonder how the Op is getting on and whether Mr/Mrs BB has been banged to rights yet?

And YY to all formula being the same, it's what I always thought.

Completely agree about the 'breast is best' posters being completely pointless and just making mothers feel bad. At my local children's centre there's a sign saying 'you're welcome to breastfed here' alongside an utterly stupid cartoon with mum saying 'nothing but the best for my baby!' and the sprog saying 'thanks mum!' What the actual fuck?? FF was the best for my baby when literally nothing was coming out of my breast and he was screaming!!!

Also totally agree that mothers are unlikely to decide on FF simply because of formula advertising. Like others on this thread I was certain I was going to breastfeed so never gave formula a second thought. When it became difficult I simply continued using the type of formula they gave him in NICU - didn't bother researching different types.

I get very cross that retailers are not allowed to discount - but only for newborn formula because some mothers simply have no choice in feeding their baby formula so why can't they find the best deals? But I am against the 'follow on' stuff - you don't need to give a baby formula after one year so the advertising suggesting that you do need to, really annoys me.

Excellent post Hamiltoes I tried BF and HATED it. Absolutely hated it, I felt like DS was a suckling parasite and I was a leaking miserable mess. I would sit willing him not to wake up, and was seriously on the brink of a meltdown.

There's no expert or group based at the community centre that's going to change that.

Hard to know when they've banned advertising isn't it?

Not at all because they haven't banned giving the information that allows you to work out if it is and why.

Hmm. I am not sure about discounts. Research shows a stable price is the best way to protect the most financially vulnerable families I believe. It is the manufacturers who choose to use that an excuse to keep the price high. I suspect if they could discount the whole pricing model would go very dfs sofa.

Excellent post Hamiltoes I tried BF and HATED it. Absolutely hated it, I felt like DS was a suckling parasite and I was a leaking miserable mess. I would sit willing him not to wake up, and was seriously on the brink of a meltdown.

There's no expert or group based at the community centre that's going to change that

Good because they are not there to change people's mind,they are there to help and support people who want to carry on but need help

There comes a time when you have to accept that BF is not going to work for you, then you need support to move on from it in my experience.

I don't object and nor does the law to booze busters or any other retailer saying 'brand x formula sold here.'

What they can't say is 'this week: £2 off!'

They can say, legally, 'permanent low price on brand x'.

But they will not be allowed to do that by their suppliers.

The whole thing is unethical and unfair.