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.

The idea BF is pure luck is bollocks, obviously, but the idea inability to BF is down to lack of effort is equally bollocks and equally offensive. So there is obviously some element of luck/chance involved.

The one HCP I encountered who made me feel even semi-ok about my decision to FF was one of the three BF specialist midwives at the hospital, who spent all day every day helping other women to BF their babies, but had one of her own babies where it just hadn't worked out. Her entire job was about the promotion of BF and it still wasn't possible with one of her children. Tell me that's down to lack of effort or poor technique.

I bf two children with no help or support at all. Found it easy. And dd2 had tongue tie.

Just saying this for balance as so many have said it's hard, would hate anyone to not try because they've read it's hard and causes pnd.

Who is saying there's a lack of effort?

I don’t recall anyone saying that. I think someone may be ‘projecting’ again.

I agree troodie. If anyone planning to BF has read my posts please don't be put off trying! But DO insist on support if you need it.

Ladycassandra I’ve experienced this view from friends. Disgusting is the word that pops up again and again. I think it will probably take more than financial incentives to change much long term but if it at least encourages people form these backgrounds to give it a try and it works for that, agree why not?!

Why do positive BF threads get pulled, but negative ones stay?

Radio it’s bloody annoying. I’ve said on another thread that’s positive and luckily doesn’t seem to have been hijacked but I find mumsnet really anti breastfeeding! No wonder people get put off even trying it!

I don't find mumsnet anti-breastfeeding at all! Seriously have never seen example of that even before I had my DD.

And this thread isn't 'negative'. Some of us are sharing our honest feelings and experiences and perhaps disagreeing with a potential scheme because we don't think it's the best way to increase breastfeeding rates.

The idea that breastfeeding has any benefits is always shouted down, it's clear that the dominant opinion is that breastfeeding is no better than formula. In fact worse, because it places too big a burden on the mother as no one else can help with feeding.

We must be looking at different threads because I don't see that. I do see people being very kind to those struggling with to BF and then they may say "it doesn't make a difference really" but I think that's just compassion and empathy. I don't see many people denying health benefits.

I find it anti to the point people will actually deny it has any benefits at all. If anyone suggests they are happy with b/f they are smug or making other women feel bad or guilty. A lady who dared to say recently she was proud of b/f after initial struggle was told ‘well done, it doesn’t make any difference’. I’ve read so many other mean and non supportive comments recently. Maybe it’s just the treads I’m reading!

Hi all! I took part in this scheme as a new mum.
So just wanted to drop be and clarify a few things. Haven't read the whole thread, could see the bun fight starting by page 3.

I qualified for this scheme by living in 'deprived' area of s Yorkshire. (Though my village is rather naice, and strangely, friends who lived on the other side of town that I would consider not so naice an area, did not qualify but anyhoo...) You registered beforehand. You got a booklet and the set Travers were (from memory) 2days, 10days, 6 weeks, 3m, 6m and 12m. You got £40 for each target. You could choose Asda, Morrison's or love to shop vouchers. You had to stick to one type only for the whole thing.

You asked your HV to sign the form to confirm you were bf. After the first two, I asked the lady at my HV run bf support group to sign it. They knew if you were bf or not, they would tell us stories about people who were trying it on, or forging signatures.

Anyone who lived in the qualifying postcode could register, you didn't have to be someone who previously hadn't considered bf. I was always going to try bf.

I got the full £200 of vouchers. I bf for 19m in the end.

Most of the women in my group all said it was nothing to do with the vouchers whether they continued bf or not. I'm sorry if this offends anyone but £200 is not a lot of money to me - that's the honest truth. I imagine someone buying formula and bottles could go through that in under a year.

I haven't had the chance to read the full results/stats but I don't feel that it showed a great increase in bf rates.

Strangely enough, in my area, funding for the bf support groups has been cut and groups have been closed or are under threat. That's very sad. My bf group was invaluable to me.

Please ask any Q's about the scheme if you like!

It's happened on this thread, and on many other support threads where people say the research is all flawed nonsense and it makes no difference in a first world country.

Assassinated cross posted with you. I find exactly the same. Everyone seems to want to rush to provide evidence that there’s no benefit to breastfeeding. We have seen it on this thread.

could see the bun fight starting by page 3

Strangely late for a BF bunfight thread.

Maybe its our perspective then because i often get upset on MN because Isee so many positive BF posts and it brings it all back for me.

Surely if you brest feed your already saving money anyway? I use formula and at nearly £12 a tub it's not cheap!

Breast* oops

Rather than debate about the health benefits, why doesn't someone post some links to some evidence that breast milk has these health benefits?

Babybauble - tell me about it! I had to use lactose free formula for about 10 days and it was even more expensive! I went through 4 tins in 10 days. Thank God my DD stopped needing it!

At the end of the day you sometimes have to choose between the benefits of BF or the benefits of having a happy, healthy mummy.

Usually by this point in a BF bunfight thread someone has come along and posted loads and loads of links to very wordy documents of evidence expecting people to sit and read it all and be won over.

But people that can't/couldn't BF know all about the benefits anyway, however nothing is going to make a difference for them.

Surely if you brest feed your already saving money anyway?

As the program is designed for those who live in low breastfeeding areas, which tend to be deprived, the mothers likely qualify for milk vouchers so wouldn't be paying for formula anyway. This means that they aren't saving money by breastfeeding.