To think the woman who thinks Tesco 'shamed' and 'guilt-tripped' her for buying formula

[Manumission]

is being a little bit dim?

You might not like the policy, but it's not difficult to understand that it is imposed on the retailers from above, is it?

But have you read the background to the code? Do you know why it was introduced?

Or are you saying 1st world choice and privilege comes before protecting vulnerable women and babies in 3rd world countries against exploitation!

The point was not about discounting (don't know why you thought it was), but about the fact that one can choose to ff or bf. I could afford the formula thanks, just as I could afford the private school fees, and now the costs of university, as I postponed having a child until we were financially very stable.

Afaik, even if is a capitalist society, it is still a free one, as we can make our own choices without some sanctimonious git telling us what is 'best' we should or should not do.

I'm not going to get into a big debate about it, Blanche. I think the law is discriminatory in our context. That is all I feel I need to say on the topic.

Was that to me scary If so I would ask you the same question, do you know why the law is as it is?

Trifle that is up to you. I obviously don't agree with your perspective at all!

roll me neither! She was told the reason why but instead of moaning to a friend or family it's off to the papers!
I feel bad for the people working for tesco having to put up with all the people who don't understand now moaning about it.

I don't get why, to protect women in poor countries, who have no internet access and cannot inform themselves, women in the UK have to be bullied about breastfeeding.

Sure, advertising formula to women who don't even have access to clean water is a contemptible thing to do, but surely, it is possible to make legislation apply only to those countries where it is actually needed?
(Or just ban Nestlé, I'd be okay with that.)

The legislation is not imposed on any countries.
The WHO produced guidelines.
It is up to individual countries whether or not they sign up to them.

"I don't get why, to protect women in poor countries, who have no internet access and cannot inform themselves, women in the UK have to be bullied about breastfeeding. "
Oh give it a rest. BF is beneficial and an optimal food in all settings, not just in developing countries. A vast body of research shows that population health is negatively affected by low bf rates and reversely that increased BF rates improve population health and reduce health as well as social inequalities. Please refrain from generalising in such an unsubstantiated manner it doesn't help anybody at all. If you feel any HCP pressured you unduly please make a complaint or seek support. Many mothers are berated for their way way of feeding whether ff or bf, try and see the bigger picture pls. Also, vesta we can all do our bit and by bf we do ease the demand on public health services so that surely is positive, right? BF is the ideal food for babies in developed settings such as the UK and promotes social mobility as indicated by evidence.

I don't get why, to protect women in poor countries, who have no internet access and cannot inform themselves, women in the UK have to be bullied about breastfeeding.

How are restrictions on the marketing of formula bullying women about breastfeeding?

It's all very well saying 'oh women here can make up their own minds', but we're coming at this from our experience of NOT being bombarded with the marketing and promotion of infant formula.

If this wasn't restricted, you can bet your life that expectant and new mums would be presented by all sorts of enticements to use formula - all they need to do is convince mothers to start out on their brand of formula and they've got a customer pretty much guaranteed for the next 12 months+. We'd all be getting little starter packs convincing us to give formula a go - and the opportunity to BF is then lost. Their resources would completely drown out NHS promotion of BFing.

If you don't think that would reduce the number of women BFing you're very naive.

And the code wasn't only drafted to protect us, here in our cozy 1st world consumer society it was drafted to stop a commercial enterprise deliberately encouraging feeding practices that killed babies . They continued to do so after multi million $ fines. They continued to rake in money, ignore law courts, to encourage practices that caused deaths. THIS IS NOT ABOUT DISCOURAGING FF. Which is why I have asked if some posters have ever heard of the reasons behind the Code and the laws!

The adoption of the code by many countries was done to stop similarly unethical practices being carried out in 1st world countries and as a stand against the 3rd world practices.

Back in the 60s and 70s young mums here in the UK were subjected to direct action, free samples, inaccurate information, a manufacturer led education campaign that set up the whole idea that FF is Better Than Breast. The code and ensuing laws stopped that...

... or did it? Even with those laws in place Nestle still subverts the truth in the same ways... Nestle Wellness Club, SMA Mums, Womenology, etc etc... they all carry often not so subtle messages that fly close to the wire...

And, once you have digested all of that, there is the water theft, slave labour, etc.

If she HAS to use formula for a medical condition she should seeking it on prescription.

I had to take paracetamol for a medical condition for a while I didn't seek a prescription for it because I can afford to buy it myself so she might be applying the same logic.

I now ff my baby as we couldn't get the hang of breastfeeding. The paediatrician thinks it was due to bad bruising and swelling of his jaw and face following rotational forceps. I expressed for 10 weeks before giving up. He is now 15 weeks old and I still feel guilty and I like I have to explain all of that to people.

Maybe she had something similar or bad lip/tongue tie etc. And just couldn't keep trying and saying 'medical condition' was the easiest /quickest explanation. Let's face it most ff mothers do feel like they have to give an 'excuse' which is ridiculous obviously.

I now ff my baby as we couldn't get the hang of breastfeeding. The paediatrician thinks it was due to bad bruising and swelling of his jaw and face following rotational forceps. I expressed for 10 weeks before giving up. He is now 15 weeks old and I still feel guilty and I like I have to explain all of that to people.

Same here. They managed to dent DD's jaw with the forceps. I expressed a year's worth of milk over 9 months with each of my babies. I didn't expect any special treatment for that.

hecantbeserious I'm not agreeing that she should have been given the space and I think she is being daft I just think some of the posters are being a bit mean disbelieving her reasons for not breastfeeding as if she should have to explain them anyway.

Not at you Blanche, but at Weaving

"If she HAS to use formula for a medical condition she should seeking it on prescription.

I had to take paracetamol for a medical condition for a while I didn't seek a prescription for it because I can afford to buy it myself so she might be applying the same logic."

But she can't afford parking?

I don't think she can't afford it; I think she doesn't want to pay because of the principle.

I do think it is good that there are restrictions on advertising and marketing formula. Parents should not be influenced by someone else's drive to make profit.

But the idea that anyone would choose formula over b/f based on free parking in Tesco car park is ludicrous.

The restrictions should cover advertising, 'special promotions' , free gifts, anything specifically offered as an incentive to buy formula. But nothing wider. What next? People with a Freedom Bus pass being asked to show receipts when they get on a bus with shopping in case they are using a free bus pass to pick up formula for their Dd or DIL?

"in case they are using a free bus pass to pick up formula for their Dd or DIL?"

Because they wouldn't be buying it for their DS or DSiL to give to their grandchildren?

I read this article and just rolled my eyes..

I thought it was a bit attention seeking really, and no surprise the daily mail printed it.

Can't remember what age the LO is, but if she was older than 6 months she could buy her the "follow on" formula, which can have promotions etc applied to it.

It really is a non-issue

I just googled to double check my facts on the follow on milk, I am pretty sure I could use my parent club vouchers etc towards it (but it was 3 years ago now) and look what I found....

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1251058/Boots-kowtows-Brussels-mothers-bottle-feed.html

I'm bfing and probably wouldn't have been swayed by formula advertising to start off ff instead as my dm bfed and most people I know were keen to at least try bfing, so it's the norm amongst people I know. However, I had a tough start with it and did consider ffing dd. At that point I would have been very vulnerable to advertising.

I know I'm late to the discusssion but I shop in the same store and they only recently imposed the parking rule.
Op has 15 minutes free parking, if she only purchased baby formula she could of done so within that time.
It's s small town, not much parking and it's actually annoying that the supermarket car park is overflowing with people not actually shopping there.
Sibu she had 15 minutes free and that's plenty of time to buy formula . She probably went round town first.

I can see where all of this is heading, TooMany

There are so many factual innaccuracies in that piece, first and foremost that this is not an EU ruling that interferes with free choice and trading!

It is a UK ruling that interferes with free choice and trading for the express purpose of supporting the UN / WHO Code of Marketing.

From that piece it would seem that there is a head of steam growing: why should UK mums be disadvantaged if they want to FF? Let's fight this unjust EU ruling!

And sod the humanitarian reasons behind it... after all, there are many women who won't care about the background.. many who will say, as has been said here, it discriminates against those of who need / want to FF.

"Kowtows" ? Pillocks!