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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To believe that formula companies have PR agents working the BF/FF threads on here?

999 replies

CocoDeMoll · 02/08/2018 20:53

They are a multi million pound set of companies that are invested in keeping Britain’s low breastfeeding rates down and keeping their profit margins up.

Any positives about breastfeeding seem to be shot down in flames on here.

So much pro formula and anti breastfeeding rhetoric.

They can easily afford to and have the best at the jobs be it lawyers, pr teams or spin doctors on their sides and they’re not exactly renounced for their ethics are they (nestle?!?!).

Or am I just getting a bit tied up in conspiracy therorys? Grin

OP posts:
AlmostAlwyn · 04/08/2018 15:06

PLEASE can we stop using "militant breastfeeders" and "breastapo" and "breastfeeding nazis". It's just offensive.

I can't imagine the outcry if I said my midwife was a "formula nazi", or my mother-in-law was a "militant formula feeder" Hmm

MrSpock · 04/08/2018 15:07

I think militant breastfeeder refers to those who, like pp, say formula should be prescription only and silly stuff like that.

Pengggwn · 04/08/2018 15:09

AlmostAlwyn

It is a perfectly reasonable way to describe someone who believes other mothers should BF whether they want to or not.

LisaSimpsonsbff · 04/08/2018 15:09

My hospital stocked two brands of formula. They didn’t offer any opinion them.

But for lots of people - not the magically advertising resistant people on this thread, of course, but dullards like the rest of us - the hospital offering you something is an endorsement in itself. If a doctor or midwife offers you something, you take it for granted that it's good. And formula companies know this, which is why they try so hard to get their product into hospitals (again, I'm basing this on what is known about the US).

Pengggwn · 04/08/2018 15:11

But for lots of people - not the magically advertising resistant people on this thread, of course, but dullards like the rest of us - the hospital offering you something is an endorsement in itself

Perhaps they genuinely do believe those brands are better.

Perhaps they just stock the most commonly used brands because it makes things simpler.

MrSpock · 04/08/2018 15:13

I wasn’t bothered about which formula to use. As I said earlier I was open minded about either feeding method, and never had loyalty to formula until DS had to have his prescribed.

I don’t really see how they can avoid “advertising” in the way of stocking?

LisaSimpsonsbff · 04/08/2018 15:14

Or maybe formula companies are not completely irrational when they spend huge amounts of money on getting their products into hospitals, and it actually is very effective advertising?

I completely agree with you that no one should be pressured to breastfeed if they've decided not to for any reason or no reason. I can't understand why you're so sure that formula companies are wasting their money on all these forms of advertising that you think don't affect anyone at all, though.

Pengggwn · 04/08/2018 15:18

LisaSimpsonsbff

Me?

AlmostAlwyn · 04/08/2018 15:34

So the mums who think other mothers breastfeeding is gross and should be done in private are fine to be labelled "militant formula feeders"?

LisaSimpsonsbff · 04/08/2018 15:35

Sorry, penggwyn, I responded to your comment but was thinking more of mrspock's position, which was unfair - obviously neither of you have to defend what the other has said! So apologies for that comment.

flamingofridays · 04/08/2018 15:37

In the first three months a mother should not be expected to anything other than care for the baby. Lots and lots of help

That's just not real life for most people any more and it likely never will be again

flamingofridays · 04/08/2018 15:38

Also seeing an advert for formula (even though you wouldn't because they're not allowed to advertise it!) Didn't make me want to formula feed. I wanted to formula feed because my baby was starving.

It's really offensive to assume that were all brainwashed little women who base all their decisions on advertising.

Seasawride · 04/08/2018 15:39

It’s offensive to criticise and undermine a woman’s personal choice to FF.

Pengggwn · 04/08/2018 15:44

AlmostAlwyn

People can think what they like, privately. They shouldn't be making it obvious.

Pengggwn · 04/08/2018 15:47

LisaSimpsonsbff

No problem.

MrSpock · 04/08/2018 16:06

Lisa I always assumed, rightly or wrongly, they’re advertising to people who have already decided to ff and so want to push their particular type of milk.

I see women who have decided to bf and women who have decided to ff as two different markets if that makes sense?

Redteapot67 · 04/08/2018 16:30

Mrspock - about 2% of women fall into those two categories. I’d say 98% have a general preference to bf but find it too hard - 50% of those persevere and 48% give up almost immediately. Another 50% give up over the first couple of weeks as problems present

MrSpock · 04/08/2018 16:37

I do agree bf support is awful and women are forced to give up before its necessary due to this. The support I had was dreadful.

LisaSimpsonsbff · 04/08/2018 16:47

I think realistically formula companies do have a vested interest in keeping formula feeding rates high and that part of their marketing aim is to do so - especially since (from their point of view) they're currently under assault from the very strong (though deeply flawed when it comes to the actual practicalities of supporting breastfeeding) promotion of breastfeeding from the NHS. I actually think the way the message is given is often counterproductive - women are naturally and reasonably suspicious of breastmilk being presented as a miracle/elixir from heaven - but you can see why formula companies want to counteract that message.

LisaSimpsonsbff · 04/08/2018 16:55

I want to tread very carefully with this comparison - I am in no way suggesting that formula is equivalent to or even vaguely similar to smoking; this is about marketing methods, not suggesting that formula is harmful. But the 'we just persuade smokers to change brands, we don't persuade people to start smoking' was what the tobacco companies used to say. And it was nonsense. Companies would always like to increase their target marker if they can - why wouldn't they?

Pengggwn · 04/08/2018 16:58

LisaSimpsonsbff

I agree with you. I think formula companies would, if they could, deploy far more explicit persuasive tactics. But 1) they aren't allowed to - the advertising of formula milk products is heavily regulated and 2) I don't care. I honestly don't mind if someone chooses to use formula, so why would it bother me if someone wanted to advertise formula? It is a free choice.

PersianCatLady · 04/08/2018 17:20

@MrSpock
Exactly.

PersianCatLady · 04/08/2018 17:26

Don't forget that for families on benefits, the cost of formula is reduced as every week they will receive a £6.20 Healthy Start voucher which can be used to help pay for formula milk.

AlmostAlwyn · 04/08/2018 17:27

Ah, ok. So that kind of language to refer to breastfeeders is "perfectly reasonable" but if the shoe is on the other foot then we "shouldn't be making it obvious". Right, got it.

Pengggwn · 04/08/2018 17:29

AlmostAlwyn

No, nobody should be making it obvious to others that they are critical of their feeding choices.

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