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 think it being not the norm is part of the problem accrual but if there are also financial barriers then let's remove them. I had my eldest child in an area with significant deprivation and ridiculously low breastfeeding rates. I breastfed. I didn't know anybody else who had breastfed from my generation. However, I was more educated than the vast majority of my peers so could understand the benefits of breastfeeding. It was bloody tough going though as I went through 2 boxes of breast pads every week and I had to buy bf friendly clothing. I didnt leave the house sometimes because I didn't have enough suitable clothes to feed in and didn't have a tumble dryer. A financial incentive might have helped me keep going longer than the 5 months I managed.
I was in a better financial situation with my last baby and managed to bf for 12 months.

I think Mums should be left alone to make their own choice without pressure.

Agree. Put the money into Child Benefit instead.

the encouragement in our hospital was about the difference it makes to the baby not the child
I see.

I just don't see how BF is claimed to be so important as a health benefit, sorry I just don't.

Just because I can't see it though, doesn't mean that it isn't there.

AccrualIntentions Money is a powerful motivator to many, perhaps especially in deprived areas where job and accessing education prospects are low

Each Mother and her child are different regardless of where they live they have a choice and should not be bullied for a few quid

fivethirtyeight.com/features/everybody-calm-down-about-breastfeeding/

I found this interesting re the population-wide health benefits and difficulty actually evidencing them without bias.

I agree with others that perhaps more money should go into child benefit and then people can use that however they need to.

The problem I find is that it seems a lot of people forget that you have two patients on postnatal care - mum and baby. Just like in antenatal care. There are benefits for the baby with breastfeeding but it has to also work for mum.

I agree with others that perhaps more money should go into child benefit and then people can use that however they need to
That won't happen.

Money is being taken away from children's benefits, not put in.

I know Persian just wishful thinking!

In answer to your original post OP - No. There is enough 'pressure' already

I had my son 6 weeks ago. They didn't discharge me until BF was established...

But surely they cannot force anyone to breast feed, it's the Mother's choice not the hospital FGS

I think that it would have been the final nail in my pnd coffin ; expecting twins, shit pregnancy you can't work through as expected leading to huge financial difficulties, which will be long running as you can't work ft after they are born because you can't afford the childcare... They're born tongue tied you can't bf you fall apart have to go on citalopram and ff them. You are wrestling with non bf guilt and struggling financially and working through pnd and look!! A financial reward you could have had that you really need... But you FAILED at bf so you cannot have it. More guilt. That's how I would have seen it and quite frankly I think it may have tipped me over the edge.

There's too much pressure on mums to breastfeed as it is and too much judgement on those who bottlefeed. The benefits of breastfeeding are vastly overstated and studies are likely just showing a correlation with other beneficial factors (particularly parental wealth and education).

The pressure on women to breastfeed when many can't or can't easily is causing post natal depression in woman and just making them miserable at a difficult time when they are vulnerable. It's time to stop all the pressure and start taking a realistic view that actually takes account of women's welfare.

It's really patronising to think that women are just not breastfeeding because they're too feckless so here's 200 quid to sort that out. Many women (about half in my exp) find breastfeeding difficult or impossible. Telling them it's not and giving them 200 won't help.

Thing is you can bf collect your few quid then go home and change to ff, it's that ridiculous

No amount of money would get me to continue breastfeeding and if we have a third child I won't even attempt it.

It's not for everyone and I think the money would be better spent on teaching children about nutrition and how to cook. The obesity crisis is not caused by formula.

I wouldn't bf I didn't want to any no amount of bullying was going to make me change my mind. My baby my choice

Thank you, AccrualIntentions.

The benefits of breastfeeding are vastly overstated and studies are likely just showing a correlation with other beneficial factors (particularly parental wealth and education)
This is what I understand too.

Nearly all of the studies into BF v FF are skewed by other factors.

I just don't think that BF is as important as people are led to believe.

Babies in the 1940s were often fed watered down condensed milk and they survived and many thrived.

Todays formula milks are far superior to those and I think that they are great when BF is not appropriate, for whatever reason.

It takes some doing to keep producing milk just to breastfeed at the money appointments portia. Most people dry up. Even if you fake the breastfeeding must exclusively ff babies wouldn't cooperate and suckle because they wouldn't know how to or would refuse.

Zsazsajuju I agree totally

Weird how the NHS and other organisations think that higher breastfeeding rates would be beneficial.

So lots of people think that despite this project working and being well received, it should not be rolled out in other areas where breastfeeding rates are very low?

Thrived on condensed milk?

In any case I'm saving the NHS a bloody fortune by bf. My baby has multiple allergies and the dietician offered me neocate formula on prescription - cost is £40 per small 400g tin plus dispensing fee. That is a huge cost to the NHS over 12 months. I refused and am persevering bf whilst having to really limit the foods I can eat. People in my position (there's quite a lot) are saving the NHS way over £200 in 6 months. If 50% of mums with allergy babes could be incentivised financially to continue bf it would save the NHS mega bucks.