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

[CocoDeMoll]

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?

If any company has any sense whatsoever they will have a presence on all social media such as MN.

Not exactly rocket science is it.

For 1) - the question is whether they're circumventing the regulations by using more subtle means. Which was the original point of this thread, which we've wandered far from! For 2) I have no issue or interest in women choosing formula if it's their genuine preference - it's their business and no one else's. However, at the moment in the UK we have a situation where lots of women want to breastfeed and can't for reasons other than actual physical inability - and so those women are being denied an actual choice. I think formula companies are largely responsible for creating this situation, they benefit from it, and I think they try and perpetuate it - which is why I care about their advertising tactics.

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

Can you direct me to some posters who believe this?

LisaSimpsonsbff

Whereas I don't think they are responsible for that at all. The regulations are fairly tight. I am not sure anything I have actually seen a marketing FMCG company do breaks them. Circumventing them - well, that's their business. As long as the rules aren't broken, no foul.

BertrandRussell

There were several posters who thought formula should be prescription only. That amounts to the same thing.

Aldi is the only retailer I know of in the UK which produces an own brand. There are four main brands of formula - SMA, Aptamil, Cow and Gate and Hipp Organic. I don't believe Hipp make ready to feed formula so this is not available in hospitals. I have no idea whether Aldi's Mamia formula comes in ready to feed either - it's also relatively new to the market.

I believe that the question about hospitals offering brands and this essentially being advertising is why baby-friendly hospitals are not supposed to offer formula at all, and instead have a policy that parents wishing to FF by choice should bring their own.

Is it still only £6 a week?? It was that much 10 years ago when I had DS. No inflation in the last 10 years on groceries, then? And how much does formula cost now? Much more than £6, I'm guessing.

"Today 18:01 Pengggwn

BertrandRussell

There were several posters who thought formula should be prescription only. That amounts to the same thing"

Yeah well-there were also several posters who talked about the breastapo and golden boobies and so on. We don't need to bother ourselves with either extreme, do we? There's a much better conversation to be had if we ignore either end of the bell curve.

BertrandRussell

You can do so if you choose. I am addressing an issue I feel strongly about, so will not ignore those with an extreme opposing view just to help your argument, no.

Fair enough. But you would not be happy, I assume if I associate the bonkers golden boobies posts to you? I’m not going to, obviously. So I hope you won’t associate the bonkers should be on prescription only posts with me.

BertrandRussell

I don't know what "golden boobies" means. I know what "breastapo" means and it isn't anti-BF. In fact, I haven't seen any comments here that are actually anti-BF, just anti-worshipping of BF.

I just don’t agree with being offensive. But fill your boots if it suits you.

Of course breastapo is anti breastfeeding
Go away peng

I honestly start to switch off a bit when I hear those meaningless insults being flung about. I’ve never met a ‘militant’ breastfeeder in my life. Just people feeding they’re children who are happy with their choice. Extremists on both sides of the debate just sound a bit odd really.

Redteapot67

It really isn't. The comparison is to the Gestapo, of course, so the link is between the secret service of a totalitarian state and those who wish to force their views on others, not those who want to BF their own children. Obviously.

BertrandRussell

Do you mean I am being offensive? To whom?

I think that while the advertising is heavily regulated now, it wasn't always. A generation or two ago - or even back when it was first invented - outlandish health claims were made by formula advertisements. Women started using formula more and more... and then it became a cultural norm passed down through generations. This may be a moot point of course but just wanted to throw it out there.

I was reading an interesting article on the history of infant feeding in the UK. Back in the 1920s, the vast majority of babies were ebf until around 7 months and were then weaned onto fruit and veg (interesting to think this was even before the NHS existed so - no bf support provided in that context - not a loaded point, just one to consider)

Then, commercial baby food was invented and women were persuaded to wean their babies earlier and earlier - as early as three months. This obviously means an extra 4 months' worth of baby food was purchased. And then that became cultural norm (how many people refute the current guidelines of waiting until 6 months by saying they were weaned at 3 and it 'didn't do them any harm') and maybe it didn't do them any harm. Maybe none of this ever did anyone any harm. The point is that advertising is deeply, deeply ingrained in all of this - far more than just seeing the odd advert for follow on milk on the TV or picking up infant formula in a hospital.

"breastapo" isn't anti-breastfeeding

It's basically intended to shut down discussion about breastfeeding though, isn't it? Women who breastfeed don't want to seem pushy and be labelled a "nazi", so are less likely to talk about their experiences. Then we get to the situation where new mothers say "well no one told me it was going to be like this!"

AlmostAlwyn

Talk about experiences all you want. I breastfed myself and am happy to talk about my experience. As soon as you start to tell others what they should be doing with regards to feeding, the term "breastapo" (however unpleasant) is perfectly fitting.

I agree that people should be allowed to get on with feeding their babies the way that they choose, I just wonder why there's no such equivalent language for the ranks of people who tell breastfeeders what they should be doing (and where).

AlmostAlwyn

Coin one. I will cheerfully use it.

Ive heard lots of militant breastfeeders on mumsnet saying formula should be prescription only, women aren’t trying hard enough, formula causes cot death and so on. Some of them are on this thread. There shouldn’t be any pressure to formula feed either but I have never come across that on mumsnet or elsewhere. So I don’t think there’s anything wrong with calling out this behaviour. The pressure on mothers to breastfeed is disgraceful. If you don’t want to be called a militant breastfeeder, don’t be militant about breastfeeding.

Breastapo is not intended to shut down discussion about breastfeeding either. It’s a moniker for those who put pressure on women to breastfeed.

No one calls women who breastfeed the breastapo. It’s women who go on at others to do it. WOmen who breastfeed are just women who breastfeed. They don’t come within the meaning of breastapo.

"WOmen who breastfeed are just women who breastfeed. They don’t come within the meaning of breastapo."
Apart from the fact that using the gestapo in any context not immediately associated with genocide is deeply distasteful, what you are saying just isn't true. Anyone suggesting rhat breastfeeding is a good thing gets completely trashed on here. It's bizarre.