To think mothers should not be offered a financial incentive to breastfeed their babies?

[brasty]

This is based on a pilot study being reported on the news. I don't think we should be paying new mothers to breast feed. Instead we should be looking at proper support. New mothers used to not be discharged from hospital until breastfeeding was established.

I'm glad people have challenged the "evidence" that breastfeeding is so much better for babies. The best evidence we have, properly analysed and interpreted, is that the benefits are negligible at best. NHS funds would be much better spent elsewhere, not more of them poured into promoting breastfeeding.

@DailyMailReadersAreThick it would be really helpful if you could say where you've seen this evidence properly analyses and interpreted. Obviously the NHS is just pushing propaganda so it's information can't be trusted. I'd like to read your independent impartial and properly analyses evidence.

Hello, just dropping in to remind people we're here to make parents' lives easier. This can be a really emotive topic so do bear that in mind when responding. Peace and love, everyone

Is there any evidence that breastfeeding causes pnd? I hear this trotted out all the time on these threads. I suspect lack of support from partner and family is more likely.

Breastfeeding is free
Formula is expensive

That's your financial incentive surely

@Mumagain2017 well that clearly isn't what people think, as breastfeeding rates are usually very low in economically deprived areas.

*Assassinated

No I can’t if you can’t work it out for yourself then I am not spelling it out to you.

As a nursing sister and district sister for years working in mainly deprived areas I have never ever seen w case of diarrhoea in a baby they was categorically linked to ff.

Surely there’s already a cash incentive, as in formula is bloody expensive and breastfeeding means you don’t have to spend so much on it.

troodiedoo - I'm hoping to receive counselling soon relating to my daughter's birth and how I've been feeling since. I haven't been diagnosed with PND because I didn't really want to go into things with my GP but I hope you'll still consider my experience. Trying to breastfeed my DD was absolutely horrible and made (and still makes) me feel incredibly down, angry, anxious, guilty. It absolutely majorly contributed to me struggling to get through each day in those early weeks. I had support but it didn't matter - breastfeeding was awful!

Ok @Hatsoffdear

pemberley

I hope you get some peace love that sounds horrendous.

Such a shame society and the nhs direct seen to see adult women as more then capable of deciding what suits them and really with people would make their choices and then shut the fuck up about other people’s.

What a waste of money.

Not direct obviously it’s doesnt.

* Is there any evidence that breastfeeding causes pnd? I hear this trotted out all the time on these threads. I suspect lack of support from partner and family is more likely.*

BS, I have lots of support from my family and partner but unless he starts lactating or lends me some nipples then there is only so much he can do, he can't take the pain away, so you know how soul destroying it is to DREAD feeding your baby? To be in agony every two and a half hours, to be sick of being covered in milk. Maybe I should have stuck through weeks of pain, on top of all the other pain associated with giving birth and the spiral of depression that chronic pain causes...

And yes, I had a LOT of assistance to try and get my children to latch and it simply does not work without pain.

Well I think providing a payment / vouchers to breastfeeding mothers to cover the cost of nursing bras, nipple cream and pads and providing healthy start vouchers to ff mothers (only those who are economically deprived in both cases) makes sense and enables women to choose which route to take without being economically disadvantaged by their choice.

And j don't know who mentioned reusing maternity bras for breastfeeding upthread but most people wouldn't be able to do this as their breasts change size when the milk comes in and they might need extra space for the breast pads, plus you might need a couple of feeding sleep bras so you can feel comfortable at night without leaking all over the bed.

I haven't read all the pages, I do think it would be a good incentive even to get people to try it - I know lots of people who when pregnant would say they would not breastfeed their baby, not even try it, "it's weird" "I just find it disgusting "
"I want to be able to go out on the piss as soon as it's born I've not had a drink for 9 months"
These are genuine things I have heard! So if it encourages people to at least try it even for a few days it can only be a good thing!

I wasn't thinking about the discrimination when I mentioned women whose breastfeeding might pose a risk to the baby. I was thinking about the danger to the baby if a woman whose baby is failing to thrive hesitates to seek help or to go onto formula because of the financial incentive.

I am not saying I would have done (though money was tight when dd was little). But it would have been one more factor convincing me that dd really had to be made to thrive on breastfeeding and to tempting me to ignore the fact that she obviously wasn't. Dangerous in some circumstances.

@pemberleypearl sorry you had such a bad experience.

troodiedoo - thanks :) I do think your question was a reasonable and valid one btw - just wanted to give my input

Have you lot not seen the news of a massive formula milk recall and 26 kids in France sick from salmonella?!

Formula is not risk free.

eeanne - yes I have seen it. Generally in this country formula is a safe option for many families as the products are safely manufactured, the water is clean. Formula is not risk free, no, but as with others, breastfeeding was in a way riskier - at east with formula my DD is now thriving.

@eeanne

So how am I supposed to feed my baby? Because she sure as hell wouldn't breastfeed, despite 3 hospital stays and help from midwives, nurses and lactation experts galore.

How is telling us all how unsafe formula is helping this debate in any way?

Breastfeeding isn't risk free either if we're honest. So the argument of formula being risky is pretty crap especially in a developed country

I'm surprised it has made a difference to breastfeeding rates tbh. I think it's a bad idea, it will make mums who can't breastfeed feel worse.

Why not? After all it’s not like women who can’t breastfeed aren’t made to feel bad enough when several years down the line and the “breast is best” brigade trying to make motherhood even harder and more guilt ridden at every turn you realise that actually the only difference bottle feeding mate was pocket. Maybe we should use the £200 to buy books etc in schools. Things that actually matter. If you’re lucky enough to breast feed and yes it is pure luck you are already quids in.